When Harry met Kurt
by Haely Potter
Summary: Collection of one shot ideas revolving around Glee and Harry Potter, mostly Harry/Kurt slash... there isn't enough of it...
1. Guidance Councelor

A/N: This fic is a collection of one shot ideas I've had about Glee and Harry Potter and which I'd love to read as long stories... I'm not good with long stories, I almost always end up losing inspiration for them and therefore I try to keep myself from writing them until I've evolved enough to write them, but at the moment I'm no good at it... :'D

The sectionals were finally over. As was the Monday after them. And the following week.

Ms. P., the guidance counselor, had resigned after confessing her love for Mr. Schuester. Sue Sylvester, the Cheerios coach, was suspended for leaking their set list to the other Glee clubs. Mr. Schue was reinstated as the Glee club director and he was working them hard for the regionals.

And it was two weeks since all that happened.

Yet nothing had really changed.

Kurt was once again backed up to the dumpster, wishing he could be inside the school already. The jocks closed in on him and he took an involuntary step backwards. "Wait!" he shouted, took a few steps forward, handed his bag to Dave Karofsky and resigned to his fate as he felt hands grab him, totally ignoring his designer clothes.

"What…" a commanding, dulcet, British accented voice interrupted the daily routine, "is going on here? If you don't want detention, I'd recommend letting the young mister go."

To his surprise Kurt found himself free and turned to his savior with wide eyes.

It was a tall, dark and handsome man. His hair was midnight black and unruly, his green eyes behind rectangular, wireless glasses that highlighted his aristocratic features. He had a black button up shirt (the sleeves were rolled up, two off the top buttons were left open and the bottom was untucked), with an open emerald vest, black jeans and grey sneakers. He had a messenger bag slung over his shoulder and a black suit jacket hanging off his arm.

Kurt felt himself blush at the sight and his heart rate picked up. He knew these signs, he was forming a crush on the Brit he knew nothing off.

"What do you mean?" Karofsky asked, playing innocent. "You aren't a teacher, are you? Besides, we were just being friendly with Hummel here…"

Kurt knew this act and felt the faint hope of being bully-free fade away. Every adult always bought that story.

The British man gave Karofsky a glare. "I may not be a teacher but I am the new guidance counselor. And while other adults might have bought that story of yours mister, however, I recognize bullying when I see it."

The jocks laughed nervously but the Brit wasn't done yet.

"I'll be keeping an eye on you to make sure you don't bully anyone and if I hear even a whisper of you doing it, I'll be seeing you in detention faster than you can call a taxi. And for the record, my detentions won't be writing lines or sitting quietly in a class room. No, you'll be doing something for the common good such as volunteer work at the animal shelter or the hospital. There is always a need of people to clean the bedpans. Or, if I'm feeling especially sadistic, I'll make you help the janitors scrub the gum off of your desks. Am I clear?"

The jocks all muttered something under their breaths and fidgeted under the harsh, judging glare.

"I asked, am I clear, and I expect a verbal answer," the man continued pressuring. For once, it seemed the jocks had met someone they wouldn't be able to charm or bully which made Karofsky drop Kurt's bag.

"Yes sir!" they all chorused with terrified expressions. It seemed like they really didn't want to do anything for the common good.

"Good. Now, scram, you have classes to attend to," the man said and a smile graced his face. The jocks all scrambled off hurriedly, some of them even running. Once they were gone the man picked up Kurt's bag and held it out to him.

"Th-thanks Mr. …" Kurt began and took his bag from the man, all the while blushing.

"Potter," the man answered the unasked question. "Harry Potter. And please, call me Harry. Mr. Potter makes me feel like I did something wrong and I have to go see the headmaster... sorry, principal. Potter, on the other hand, gives me a flash back of my chemistry teacher, professor Snape, who hated my guts."

"Thanks… Harry…" Kurt tried out the name which seemed to please Harry as he smiled.

"You're welcome, Mr. Hummel," he said and began walking to the school. "And remember, my door's always open if you have any problems."

Kurt smiled and nodded. "Will do Mr. … Harry…" he said quietly, not sure if Harry heard him.

"He's cool," Kurt was telling Mercedes in the choir room before the Glee club meeting after the classes had ended.

"Who's cool?" Puck asked and sat to the chair in front of the two.

"Harry," was the chorused answer. When they got a blank look from Puck, Kurt elaborated. "Mr. Potter, the new guidance counselor."

"You mean the dude who had Karofsky running?" Finn added in his two cents and for the first time Kurt's stomach didn't do flip flops.

"Yes, that's Harry," Kurt sighed with a small smile. "He has a great fashion sense."

"When I saw him I had kind of hoped coach Tanaka had quit and he'd be our coach," Puck confessed. "He has too much muscle not to do sports."

There was some chuckling from the door. As one, all of them turned to face the door where Mr. Schue and the object of their conversation stood, obviously amused by their conversation.

"Well guys, it's nice to see all of you here, on time," Mr. Schue glanced at Puck who didn't even look embarrassed. Mr. Schue walked to the front of the group. "As you may have noticed, we have a guest today, Harry Potter, our new guidance counselor. He will be coming to see our practice this week to see you (and me) in our "natural" environments and if he notices that some of us have things he thinks we should talk about, and this doesn't mean you have to talk with him, he'll send you a private message. Next week he'll be doing the Cheerios and so forth. Any questions?"

Rachel's hand was in the air in an instant. "How old are you? Where do you come from? Why are you checking out the clubs? Will you be - ?"

"One question at a time!" Harry laughed, obviously used to over eager teenage girls, and held up his hands in mock surrender. "I turned twenty-one in the summer, I'm originally from Godric's hollow, England, but I moved to London when I was fifteen and I'm checking out the clubs to choose one I'll be sponsoring as long as I work here at McKinley high as well as trying to get to know the students."

Excited chatter spread among the students at his announcement. They might get a sponsor!

"What do you mean, sponsor?" Rachel asked over the others with narrowed eyes.

"Oh, you know," Harry rolled his eyes, "new costumes, sheet music, transportation to different events, maybe even field trips not related to your own performances."

"Where do you get the money?" Santana asked. "Being a guidance counselor doesn't pay all that well…"

"Well," Harry looked embarrassed and scratched the back of his head, "my parents and godfather left me a huge inheritance of old family money. I could live off of it for my whole life and not make a dent to it so I negotiated with principal Figgins that the moment I found a club I wanted to sponsor, he'd give that club my pay check. I check the amount of course so that he can't be a cheapskate and keep some of the money for other things on the school budget."

"Why do you work if you have money?" It was once again Rachel.

Now Harry chuckled. "I'd go nuts with nothing to do in less than six months. Actually, the last four months in New York City have been toeing the line and I had books and movies and Broadway to distract me."

"Why," began Kurt," did you come to Lima?"

"I don't like living in a big city," shrugged Harry. "It might have something to do with the fact that I went to a boarding school in the Scottish mountains totally cut off of civilization since I was eleven and in Hogwarts, everyone knew everything about everyone, whether or not they wanted it known or to know it. When someone's parents divorced, everyone knew. When someone was cheating on their girl/boyfriends, everyone knew it. Actually, my late headmaster put it in the words: "What happened between you and Professor Quirell is a secret so it is no wonder the whole school knows" after I stopped professor Quirell from stealing an old school relic. Yes, my school years were very eventful and no, I won't go deeper into them… Oh… it seems like I've side tracked…" he grinned and some of the students, Kurt among them, chuckled. "Please, interrupt me if I do it again… But why Lima? Other than it's not a very big place? Well… I had a house here and I got the job I'm qualified for."

"You went to a boarding school?" Quinn asked skeptically. "How come you're not a total wacky? What did you do with your free time?"

"Umm… my best friend Hermione studied anything and everything, my other best friend Ron played football, sorry, soccer, and chess. Ron's older twin brothers played pranks and soccer… Colin, a boy a year my junior, took up photography… I did sports as Mr. …?" Harry looked curiously at Puck.

"Noah Puckerman," Puck introduced himself. "Call me Puck."

Harry nodded. "As Puck guessed. I was the play maker in basketball, star of the running team and I swam in my free time. I also learned to play different instruments. My singing is horrible, mind you, but I can play the piano, guitar, drums, violin, flute and saxophone. I also know some martial arts. And I solved various mysteries in the school, such as who was stealing, or borrowing without permission, our chemistry teacher's underwear. Turned out it was Fred and George, Ron's older brothers. But I think that's enough introductions… Will, your turn…"

Mr. Schue cleared his throat and fought the smile off of his face. "Thanks Harry… So, let's continue. I know it's not been long since sectionals but the regionals are approaching. I want you to make a list of things you could have done better at the sectionals and what you want to do at the regionals. Song suggestions, a certain type of music, anything is up to debate."

This got a whoop of joy from the students. Harry chuckled at their enthusiasm, almost sure he found the club he wanted to sponsor. The rest of the meeting was spent bouncing ideas and in the end, everyone were pleased.

After the meeting Kurt caught up with Harry. "I wanted to say thank you, for this morning I mean," he said when he and Harry were walking towards Harry's office. "No adult has tried to stop the dumpster dives before. Mr. Schue only delays them."

"I kind of guessed from your surprise," Harry said with sympathy filled voice. "For the first ten years of my life my cousin bullied me every way possible; regular beatings, dumpster dives, keeping other kids away from me to keep me from making friends. No adult ever tried to stop it. It was like they saw right through the bullying, seeing it, accepting it was there and doing nothing. I swore I'd be a different adult and would do my best to weed out the bullying where ever I went in my life. Anyway, Dudley, my cousin, continued being a bully, terrorizing the kids in our neighborhood until I saved his life. That got him thinking, and while I would have sworn he didn't have the brains for it when we were younger, he's now in law school on the top of his class."

To put it simply, Kurt was amazed. After years of bullying Harry had saved his cousins life… he wasn't sure he wouldn't look the other way if it were him and, say, Karofsky in the same situation. That was some real nobility to look up to. "Where have you been my whole life?"

"In England for the most of it I'd bet," answered Harry cheekily and looked at the shorter boy seriously. "Don't let them get you down, they're just jealous that you have the courage to be yourself and they're afraid to be different from the masses." Harry smiled warmly and for the first time, Kurt noticed, it reached his green eyes.

He blushed brightly and averted his eyes to the ground when he realized he was staring. "I guess I'll see you latter," ha muttered and quickened his pace.

"Yeah," Harry agreed and turned to the hallway in which his office was in. "Love the vest by the way, suits you."

Kurt didn't know how to answer without squealing and just hurried to the parking lot. Once inside his car he just sat there for a moment to calm his racing heart. There was no way Harry was flirting with him… was there? Besides, he liked Finn didn't he? Or at least he had liked Finn… until Harry came along. And Harry probably only saw him as a kid anyway. He was only sixteen after all… And wasn't it even illegal or something? He'd have to check that…

But Harry… was really different. It seemed like he had really experienced things… not just the normal teenage drama with bullying, romance and high school hierarchy but real life struggles… happiness… disappointments… tragedies… The thing that weighed most in Kurt's was the fact that Harry was taking an active step in stopping the bullying, something he'd never seen anyone else do… not really… even when Finn told Puck to watch his impulse control, it was… just something Finn would say to anyone about anyone with no meaning in it… not being their knight in shining armor or prince charming on a white horse…

He plucked his iPod to the stereos of his car and started the car. The melody of "Defying Gravity" filled the car.

"Something has changed within me  
Something is not the same," he sang along easily, not yet starting to drive… It was too good a song not to listen fully when it came!  
"I'm through with playing by the rules  
Of someone else's game  
Too late for second-guessing  
Too late to go back to sleep  
It's time to trust my instincts  
Close my eyes: and leap!"  
His eyes widened and he turned to stare at his iPod when he realized what he was singing. He was turning a new leaf in his life… by leaving Finn Hudson in the past… trusting his instincts to lead him to the right man.  
"It's time to try  
Defying gravity  
I think I'll try  
Defying gravity  
Kiss me goodbye  
I am defying gravity  
And you wont bring me down!"  
He wouldn't let Finn Hudson or Rachel Berry or Dave Karofsky bring him down… he was already defying gravity by being openly gay and all… at the moment he was only hovering… it was time to start flying… getting a boyfriend… fighting Rachel for the solos…  
"I'm through accepting limits  
''cause someone says they're so  
Some things I cannot change  
But till I try, I'll never know!  
Too long I've been afraid of  
Losing love I guess I've lost  
Well, if that's love  
It comes at much too high a cost!"  
He wouldn't care what others said… he'd break the limits… at least as a teenager in Ohio… Sure, he might get slushied for the rest of his high school life, he couldn't change that (maybe Harry could…?)… He didn't want another crush like the one he had on Finn… he'd find someone who appreciated him and his talents and faults (like Harry)… not that he had any…  
"I'd sooner buy  
Defying gravity  
Kiss me goodbye  
I'm defying gravity  
I think I'll try  
Defying gravity  
And you wont bring me down!"  
Kiss goodbye! Yes… kiss goodbye, Finn Hudson, the Kurt Hummel ship has sailed and you missed it…  
Kurt laughed, feeling free for the first time in a long while.

"I'd sooner buy  
Defying gravity  
Kiss me goodbye  
I'm defying gravity  
I think I'll try  
Defying gravity  
And you won't bring me down!  
bring me down!  
ohh ohhh ohhhh!"

The song ended and Kurt continued to stare at his iPod with a smile even when Taylor Swift's 'You belong with me' (he liked the lyrics… even if they were horribly cliché…) started to play. While Kurt didn't believe in a higher power or that 'everything happens for a reason', he liked to think there was some force that didn't want the worst to happen, not deciding things for humans but sending them small signs that would make their lives better, even if it was a song at the right moment or a friendly smile from a stranger.

He could be philosophical later but now… now he had to go home and get rid of his mementos of Finn Hudson.


	2. English Teacher

A/N: I can't believe what kind of welcome the first one shot got! In the first two hours it got three reviews! In fourteen hours it got twenty-five alerts and five favs! I'm so proud of myself! :D

Anyway, this idea was pretty much inspired by "Kissed the teacher" by ImmortalRoseOfTheThorns.

Kurt was sitting in English class room, bored out of his mind, waiting for the new teacher to arrive. Hopefully it would be someone more levelheaded than Mr. Ryerson who got expelled for inappropriate touching. Mercedes Jones from Glee was sitting next to him, also bored and for once quiet. He knew Mercedes had a crush on him for being the first boy to really talk with her but… he wasn't interested. No, he was in love… with the quarter back of the football team, Finn Hudson. Not that he was going to say anything, like, ever. They weren't even friends. In fact, Finn's group of friends had made their mission in life to bully Kurt.

Verdi's Spring from the Four seasons was playing on his iPod. It was Kurt's absolute favorite piece of classical music but he preferred songs with actual words in them. With a sigh he changed the song and glanced at the clock. 10:35… the teacher was five minutes late already… but it was his first day… maybe, just maybe, Kurt could forgive him if he arrived in the next five minutes, that is.

Four minutes and thirty-six seconds latter the door was opened and a young man barely out of college came stumbling in, breathing heavily. He had black hair, glasses and was dressed quite informally in a tee and jeans from what Kurt could see. But they seemed to be quality clothes…

"Ah," the man straightened and grinned at his students. "Sorry I'm late guys, your school has too little confusing staircases and long corridors for my taste!" The voice was dulcet and fully British, Kurt noted. "Anyway, my name's Harry Potter, call me Harry, I'm not much older than you people, it'd be weird being called Mr. Potter. I just moved from England as you can guess from my accent and I must admit American high school is a totally strange concept to me since I went to a boarding school since I was eleven," he explained good naturedly as he set his bag on the table. "I guess I should start with roll call but I think I left that particular sheet of paper in principal Figgins' office. So how about all of us introduce our selves and tell some of our likes and dislikes! As I said before, I'm Harry Potter, I love all of Shakespeare's works and I have no clue when it comes to music. Now girl near the door in the first row, your turn."

Kurt noticed how unnaturally quiet his class mates were being and realized Harry was the kind of person who always drew and held people's attention when he entered a room, whether intentionally or not was lost to Kurt. It was like there was a force field around Harry that forced others to pay attention to him, obey him if he gave an order.

He watched as his class mates fell under the 'spell' one by one and introduced themselves and Harry always commented something on their introductions. Mercedes was up next and Kurt began to pay attention again.

"I'm Mercedes Jones, I like singing and I have no idea how to cook," she told the class room with her normal flair.

"Cooking is actually one of the chores I enjoy," Harry commented off handedly with a shrug. "It's a wonder what you can do in the kitchen once you know the ingredients. I use purely organic things in my cooking because they taste better and aren't harmful to the environment or me. Next the only well dressed boy in the class."

Kurt wanted to smirk. His fashion sense was already legendary in Lima. "My name's Kurt Hummel, I enjoy fashion and I'm an atheist."

"Oh! Cool!" the young teacher cheered. "I'm an atheist too! I believe everyone makes their own destiny. In fact, the fact that I'm here right now is proof of that! My friends wanted me to go into politics back in England but I've liked teaching since I tutored some younger years in my fifth year at the boarding school."

Kurt found himself smiling along with his class mates at their teacher's enthusiasm.

"Okay! Next round! Now we all tell about the first book we read and what kind of an experience it was. I started reading when I was very young, maybe four, and the earliest books I read were children's books but the first real novel I read when I turned eleven and it was 'The Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy'. I admit, I put the book down for two months after I read the first two chapters but after I picked it up again I couldn't let it go again until I was done. It was the book that hooked me to Sci-fi and while I've read fantasy, romance, comedy and horror, none has quite reached the standards 'The Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy' set. What about you Brooke?"

Once again Kurt tuned them out, thinking about the first book he read. Fact was… he read it just before his mom died and couldn't even remember it's name. After that he'd read the classics such as The Lord of the Rings, the Mars trilogy and even the Princess Diaries (only the first one that one because he was curious after seeing the movie). Nowadays he mostly read fashion magazines or if he picked up a book it was primarily fantasy.

Oops, Mercedes was done talking.

"I don't remember the first book I read as I read it just before my mom died and everything became hazy for almost six months," Kurt explained. "Nowadays I primarily read either fashion magazines or fantasy novels."

"Losing a parent always sucks, doesn't it?" come Harry's comment. "I'm kind of lucky that I don't remember my own parents who were murdered when I was one because I can't miss _them_. Sure I'm sorry for the missed opportunities but that's it."

The bell rang and the students reluctantly gathered their things as Harry told them their homework was to make a list of books they'd recommend for others to read and that they'd start really start studying when they next met.

Kurt and Mercedes walked out together and Kurt couldn't help saying "I think no one will skip English ever again."


	3. At the Hospital

A/N: I'm over the moon! 10 favs and 44 alerts! And two reviews for the last post from such places as Netherlands and Australia! (I've always wanted to visit both but it's still a dream)

It was evening and everyone else had already gone home but Kurt stubbornly sat on his father's bedside. He knew he'd have to go sooner or latter but he'd stay by his father's side as long as he could. Glancing at the clock he sighed. Quarter to eight… he'd been here since school let out almost five hours ago… he skipped Glee practice and he couldn't care less. He'd neglected his dad for music, now he was neglecting music for his dad. He gave a humorless smile. It was an unending cycle unless he took hold of himself and kept up a steady routine which included both… which he'd do as soon as his dad was okay again.

But… nothing was going to go back to "normal" ever again. His dad would have to start to eat healthy, finally, as Kurt ha been telling him for years already but he didn't feel like saying "I told you so" which he so often relished. He squeezed his dad's large, calloused hand in his much smaller, softer ones. He didn't want to let go of the only constant in his life aside from fashion which didn't count.

"Let's try one last time today dad," Kurt said hoarsely. "I'm holding your hand, dad. Squeeze it if you can, dad, please. Just curling your fingers would be enough for me." When nothing happened Kurt felt the tell-tale prickling behind his eyes and turned his face away, not wanting to cry again just before leaving home. He gathered himself and turned back to his dad with a smile. "You always were a little lazy, weren't you? This is the last chance for you to wake up today because if you wake up when I'm not here, after the first hour of you being awake, I'm not talking to you for a week, that's a promise. Now would be a good time to squeeze my hand or chuckle and tell me I'm being dramatic-"

"Well, boy sitting next to your unconscious father, you are being somewhat dramatic," an unfamiliar, British accented voice chuckled from the door, interrupting Kurt.

With surprising speed Kurt whirled around to look at the stranger who stood at the door holding a little, black haired boy on his hip. The man was in his early twenties, had black hair like the little boy, and brilliant green eyes, he was well built, not especially muscular but you could tell he would most likely win any fights he got into. The child on his hip looked about five and probably would make you underestimate the man. The boy's eyes were red, like he had been crying.

"What happened to him?" the man asked gently, nodding to Burt.

Kurt turned back to his dad. "Heart attack," he said plainly, not feeling the need to be polite to the stranger.

There was some scraping as a chair was pulled closer to the bed and Kurt more heard than saw the stranger sit next to him.

"We're here for Teddy's grandmother who also had a heart attack," the stranger told Kurt softly. "She's been unconscious for two weeks already and doctors don't think she'll wake up. It probably would be better for her anyway, if we just stopped the machines, at least she'd be with her husband, daughter and son-in-law in the after life. But she's old already. Your father on the other hand seems like he's a man in his glory. I'd say he wakes up inside the week, depending how long it has been since his attack."

"It's been nine days," Kurt answered the question left unasked. He didn't know why he had yet to tell the man to leave… but he kind of felt comforted, knowing he wasn't alone in the hospital.

"Then I'd say he wakes up in the next four," the man continued. "While my guesses aren't exact, they are most often true when it comes to people's health. I even guessed when Tonks, Teddy's mother, was pregnant before even she knew."

Kurt snorted. "What kind of people name their daughter "Tonks"?"

The man laughed. "Tonks was her last name. Her first name was Nymphadora and if anyone called her that they got punched. She got into law enforcement after school and from what I've heard she was a really good cop. Uncle Remus, Teddy's father, on the other hand was one of my parents' best friends and became a teacher and was one of the best teachers I've had. They both died over four years ago in a terrorist attack."

Kurt remembered hearing about the terrorist attacks in Brittan four years ago. No terrorist group had taken the "credit" for them but the group had obviously been caught since no more attacks had been made since May 2nd 2006.

"They weren't even the first ones I lost to the terrorists. My parents were specifically murdered by them because they spoke up against them. They died in 1989 when I was fifteen months old. I lost my friend Cedric to them when I was fourteen, he was seventeen. My god father died fighting them one year latter, and the person I thought as my grandfather the year after in June," the man continued calmly. "But watching Andromeda like that is harder than any of those because I have to watch her wither away and not be able to help her," he glanced at the clock. "Ah, I guess I've bothered you enough to remind you that you're not alone in the world despite what it may seem, and Teddy and I have to leave," he got up and dragged the chair back from where he took it. "If you wanna talk again, I'm most likely gonna be in room 324 during the visitor hours and after them in BreadstiX for an hour for dinner. You're welcome to join us at any given time."

Kurt turned to look at the man and a small smile found it's way to his lips. "Thanks. I'm Kurt."

The man smiled right back at him and Kurt noticed he had a dimple on his right cheek. "Harry. It's been nice to meet you Kurt and I hope to see you again," he adjusted Teddy on his hip and turned to go. When he was out of the door he sent Kurt one last glance and disappeared from the doorway.

The room felt empty when Harry and Teddy were gone and Kurt let his dad's hand go. He'd have to go now too, the visiting hours were over and his stomach was clawing at his insides for the first time since his dad's heart attack. He grabbed his jacket from the stand, glanced his dad one last time and left.

Not twenty minutes later he stood just outside BreadstiX and spotted Harry and Teddy in the corner booth. Hesitantly he went over.

"Mind if I sit here?"

"I'm glad you came Kurt. Now, what would you like?"

This idea reflects somewhat from "Wishing I could hear your voice again" by Moonyhowler but not really… Anyway, this happens during "Grilled Cheesus", the story Harry tells is the muggle friendly version of what happened (like always) and I've adjusted the time line somewhat… the only other thing you should know is that Teddy was born a year earlier (or seven years latter, depending on which point of view you're looking from). Harry's 21, Teddy's 5, Kurt's 17. OH! And Harry, Andromeda and Teddy were on a road trip through the US when Andromeda had the heart attack which kind of explains why they're in Lima in the first place.


	4. The Neighbor

A/N: Hi guys! Sorry it took a while to get this one out but with school and annoying relatives, you have to forgive me. If my schedule allows, the next idea/one shot is going to be out during weekend.

This idea was sparked by Taylor Swift's 'You belong with me' music video but... the only common theme is the suburban neighbourhood and two friends...

WHMKWHMKWHMKWHMKWHMK

Ten-year-old Kurt looked on curiously as movers brought furniture and boxes out of the truck and into the house-next-door. It had been sold to an English family of four that was going to move there next week. The house's last owners, an almost eighty years old couple, had died in an accident six months ago. Kurt had liked them a lot, they often invited him over and gave him freshly baked cookies and they had had a dog who played with Kurt. The old woman, Mrs. Locke, had comforted him when his mommy had died and she had been the one to make sure he got something to eat when his dad had tried cooking. Mr. Locke, on the other hand, loved to play the piano and had taught Kurt the basics. He had also been the one who encouraged Kurt to sing, having been a musician on Broadway in his youth. Kurt missed them, not as much as his mommy, but still.

He hoped the children in the family that was moving there were nice and that they would play with him. Other children often teased him because of his clothes or the hat his dad had him wearing because he didn't want him to have sunburns. And Noah Puckerman, the school bully, had made him the daily target for wedgies and dumpster dives...

His dad called him for dinner and Kurt gave the house one last glance before going inside.

Two weeks later:

Kurt was drawing in the shade when he heard footsteps approaching him and looked up. It was the fat boy who moved to the house next-door to his, Dudley Dursley. He scrunched up his nose. While the boy used quality clothes, he couldn't combine them to save his life and on top of that he was rude, bullying and spoiled. Not someone Kurt wanted to be friends with or even be seen in the same company with.

"Wha'cha doin'?"

"Drawing," was the answer in a 'duh' way. "Can't you see?"

"I mean, wha'cha doin' outside the dumpster?" Dursley sneered.

"And I meant that I'm drawing outside the dumpster," Kurt explained like Dursley was an idiot (which he was, but that's beside the point).

"Well, I think it's time for you to go back to the dumpster, don't you?" sniggered Dursley and took a threatening step forward.

"Dudley, why can't you just stay inside?" asked an annoyed voice behind the large boy. "It'd keep the air from ruining and the rest of us happy."

"Shut up, freak," Dursley said loudly, making sure everyone in the park heard him. "No one asked you. Why don't'cha go home to make dinner?"

"Oh? Really creative, Duds, repeat what your mommy said not three weeks ago," ridiculed the interrupter. He was Mrs. Dursley's nephew, Harry Potter, who lived with them since his parents had died and was, from Kurt's perspective, the only decent one of the family even if he wore large hand-me-downs, was scrawny, had large, round glasses and hair that defied gravity every way possible. "Please, spare me, I can feel myself getting stupider just by looking at you. Go inside and blow up some aliens with your computer, after all, it's the only thing you can do, isn't it? And correct you grammar will you? It's "What are you doing" not "Wha'cha doin'" I can't believe I'm related to such an imbecile as you."

Kurt wanted to laugh but he knew that would only draw the attention to himself which he almost desperately wanted to avoid. He couldn't believe Harry had called Dursley an imbecile, it was almost too good to be true. He saw Dursley scowling and felt ice gather in his stomach. Harry was in trouble now.

"You should start runnin' now, freak," Dursley growled and took a step towards Harry, forgetting Kurt totally.

"You wouldn't be able to catch me even if I walked," snorted Harry and dodged the fist that swung his way. "I didn't know you were learning ballet, Dud. If no one has told you this before, I think you should quit, who knows when you fall on someone and kill them."

His comment froze Dursley. "What?"

"Aww, isn't mommy here to translate all the big words for you?" mocked Harry and angled himself so that he could run straight out of the park. "I called you so fat that people would be crushed if you fell on them. On top of that you're stupider than a rock to a boot too."

When he saw Dursley beginning to dawdle towards him, he turned and walked away, just in front of Dursley, just out of his reach. Close enough that Dursley wouldn't lose his interest in beating Harry up but far away enough to be safe from the fists that tried to reach him. Kurt felt guilty for having Harry distract the bully but still he was grateful. He didn't feel like explaining to his dad why his clothes needed to be washed again when they just came from the washing machine, it's not like he climbed trees or rolled in mud like other boys his age. He'd have to thank Harry for that...

Maybe he could make cookies for him? ...no, Dursley (sr. or jr., didn't matter which) would eat them before letting Harry have them (maybe he could poison the cookies then? But then there was the risk that Harry would get them smuggled to his room and eat them...)... Or he could get Harry a book! ...but he didn't know what Harry was interested in... Clothes... were too much like charity... A ball? It'd have to be small so that the Dursleys wouldn't notice it... Invitation to dinner? ...Kurt's dad couldn't make toast without burning it... Maybe he should ask Harry when he next saw him... if he wasn't running away from Dursley...

With that decided, Kurt nodded determinedly and went back to drawing.

Next day:

He looked around the park expectedly and wasn't disappointed when he saw Harry in the swings. He knew Harry was older than himself but when he was dwarfed in the large hand-me-downs he looked several years younger, even if he was taller than most kids his age.

Kurt squared his shoulders, lifted his chin high and began his regal approach. When he reached the swings, he sat to the free one.

"Hi Harry, I'm Kurt," he said and his voice was a little higher than normal because he was so nervous. He smiled at Harry when he turned to look at him with surprise shining n his eyes. "Thanks for distracting your cousin yesterday, I don't know how I would have been able to explain to my dad how my clothes got so dirty."

There was a silence. "You're welcome," the older pre-teen nodded and turned back to look at the ground.

"I wanted to make you cookies as a 'thank you' gift but I thought the Dursleys would probably eat them rather than let you have them," admitted Kurt and pushed the swing a little of the ground. "Then I thought of a book but I don't know what you're interested in. Mt next thought was clothes which are too much like charity... Then I thought I could maybe ask you to have dinner at my house but my dad can't cook at all... Which is when I decided to ask you! What would you like as a 'thank you' gift?"

During his speech Harry had turned to look at him with disbelief before a small smile slipped to his face. "No one's ever thanked me before so that's thanks enough but of you absolutely want to give me a gift, how about we became friends? I don't know anyone here yet so it'd be a relief to have someone to talk to."

"Sure!" Kurt agreed instantly. "I don't have any friends either, but that's because Puck has chosen me as his main victim in school. But I do know that friends know all about each other! So I'll begin! My name is Kurt Elizabeth Hummel and I was born on 15th of May, 1994. My mom died when I was six, dad would say when I was eight. Thing is, she was in coma for two years before her heart failed and I can't call that living..."

"My parents died when I was a little over one year old," Harry said with sympathy filled voice. "That's why I live with the Dursleys. Aunt Petunia says they were driving drunk but I can't bring myself to believe her. Anyway, my whole name is Harry James Potter, I was born 31st of July 1993 so I'll be eleven in two weeks. I guess I like playing Dudley's guitar..."

"I love singing!" Kurt said eagerly. "How well can you play the guitar? Did you teach yourself? Can you sing too? I can play the piano but I can't practice much, only in school during recess."

"Yeah, I taught myself..." a bewildered Harry answered. How else? Could someone teach you to play guitar? "I guess I like singing but I don't think I'm good..."

"Do you think you could come over so that we could practice together?" asked Kurt with and excited gleam in his eyes. "Maybe I could even teach you to play piano! Then we could watch Cats together!"

Harry just nodded mutely and wondered just what he'd signed up for when Kurt jumped from the swing, grabbed Harry's hand and began to drag him away.


	5. The Cousin, part 1

A/N: I'm sorry that I didn't update earlier, but I've barely been able to get up from bed during the last week and I'm still somewhat sick, even if I'm better already.

This idea was one of the first one's I had and the first time I wrote it, it didn't turn out the right way. This is the second version and I like this a lot better, it's more descriptive and gives reasons as to why, not just that the Dursleys are dead.

I'm going to write a short sequel for this one about Harry's reaction of going to McKinley high and his first day.

On that particular Saturday morning Carole woke up with a feeling that something horrible had happened. It was the same feeling she had had when her youngest sister had died almost fifteen years ago and when Christopher had died in Middle East three years latter. While her first instinct was to check on Finn down in the basement, she turned to look at Burt whom she found sound asleep exactly where she left him when she went to sleep: right next to her. She checked his breathing and pulse (which was a bit quicker than her own but nothing to worry about) and was satisfied when both were steady. Kurt, she knew, was sleeping in his bed and was as healthy as possible, after all, he needed his beauty sleep and he ate healthier than anyone.

A terrible thought hit her. Finn had still been out when she'd gone to bed. Getting up quickly and silently, like only a mother could, she slipped on her slippers and threw on her dressing gown, making her way downstairs, through the living room and down the basement steps. Her heart went cold and she gripped the railing as she stared at the empty bed her son should have been sleeping in.

Kurt's restless movement, like he sensed someone looking in his general direction, snapped Carole back to reality and she dashed back up to the living room only to stop dead in her tracks.

Finn was sleeping on the couch, clothes rumpled and only somewhat dirty. What was most important though, was the steady rising and lowering of his chest under the quilt he'd somehow managed to drag over himself. Relief filled her chest and weakly she made her way to her son, only to sit beside him on the couch.

Silently, her eyes traced his features and soaked in his silent strength that finally showed itself last year. While he wasn't identical to his father, he reminded her strongly of him. Finn had Chris' jaw, eyes, forehead and hair and self-centered but righteous attitude. She sincerely hoped it wouldn't lead to his death like it had led to Chris'.

She stroke Finn's cheek gently and continued to do so when he stirred.

"M'm?" her half asleep son mumbled and tried to swat her hand away.

"Why aren't you sleeping in your bed, sweetie?" Carole asked with a slight smile.

Confused, Finn looked around. Then a light bulb seemed to turn on in his head. "Came 'ome t' late. Was 'fraid 'd wake Kurt 'n' make 'im 'ngry at m'," came the mumbled explanation.

A smile spread over Carole's face. She didn't know any other person who were as considerate as Finn. Oh, Kurt was considerate too, but in a different, more subtle way. He'd have no problem with waking someone up in the middle of the night but she knew from Burt's tales that it was Kurt who made sure Burt ate something else than beer and meat pies, Kurt nagged Burt to keep in contact with his friends out side the garage, Kurt made sure things were in their right places and Kurt was the one who left the small post-its around the house to remind the other occupants of the house of their schedules that day. How Kurt found out she had a lunch date with her friends she'd never know. Hell, he was the one who introduced her and Burt to each other! Finn, on the other hand, wasn't so subtle. He arranged his schedule around everyone else's: he showered in the evenings because Kurt hoarded their bathroom in the mornings, he took out the garbage without asking, he often gave the remote to the other person who came to watch TV with him (unless there was an important game on right that moment) and he always left hot water over when he showered.

"Why don't you go to bed, sweetie? It's 7:30 already and I'll be making noise in the kitchen," Carole patted his cheek and got up.

With an agreeing sound, Finn got up and stumbled to the basement door with half lidded eyes. Carole shook her head in amusement. Teenagers.

Not ten seconds latter there was a crash and a loud "FINN HUDSON! GET OFF OF ME THIS INSTANT! YOU'RE CRUSHING MY LUNGS! And Why Are You Coming Back This Late? Or is it early?" Carole didn't hear her son's answer and pushed the basement door closed with an other shake of her head. They already acted like siblings even if Kurt's crush in Finn had complicated things in the beginning.

With the thought of siblings the horrible feeling came back with a vengeance. She took a deep breath to calm her raging emotions. She'd make breakfast, have a cup of tea (1) and think things through rationally.

Not an hour latter the phone rang and Carole picked it up with her left hand, her tea held in the other.

"This is the Hummel residence, Carole Hudson speaking," she greeted and took a sip from her tea.

"I'm sorry to bother you this early in the morning, Mrs. Hudson," a young female voice said down the line. "I'm Cheryl Beckett from Surrey central hospital in England. I regret to inform you that your sister Petunia Dursley née Evans and her husband Vernon Dursley died in a car crash early this morning."

Icy needles punctured Carole's heart and her hand that held her tea became slack. Her tea fell. Her other baby sister was dead. First her parents, then Lily, then Chris and now Petunia. But what about the children? What became of her nephews?

"W-what about my nephews? Dudley Dursley and Harry Potter?" she asked weakly and clutched the phone.

"Dudley Dursley was inside the car when the accident happened but he survived with only a few bruises and scratches. Harry Potter is still at his boarding school and according to my knowledge he should be arriving to King's Cross Station in London on next Friday," Cheryl explained. "As his next kin, his guardianship would transfer to you if you wanted or h could go to a foster home until he comes off age. Vernon Dursley's sister, a miss Marge Dursley, has already obtained custody of Dudley Dursley but won't even consider taking Mr. Potter."

"Can-can I get back to someone about Harry's custody?" stammered Carole. "I'll-I'll need to talk with my partner about it first."

"Of course ma'am, do you have writing utensils nearby?" Cheryl enquired politely.

"Yes, just a minute," Carole was already reaching for the post-its on the kitchen counter and then the magnetic pen in the fridge. "Okay."

"Mr. Charlie Davidson from Social Service had been assigned to Mr. Potter's case. His number is-" Cheryl listed a string of numbers which Carole wrote down dutifully. (2) "He should be able to answer any questions you might have."

"Thank you Ms. Beckett," Carole answered and put the pen down.

"I'm sorry for your loss Mrs. Hudson," Cheryl's sympathy filled voice came from the phone before the line went dead.

Carol put the phone down and went to the kitchen table. In daze she sat down and stared at nothing, silent tears streaming down her face.

That's how Burt found her fifteen minutes later, tear tracks on her face. Concern filled him immediately and he went to sit next to her. "Carole? What's happened?"

Tears began to stream down her face anew. "My baby sister's dead. She and her husband died in a car accident."

Understanding flooded him and he wrapped his strong arms around her shaking shoulders, letting her cry to his shoulder, all the while murmuring reassuring nonsense to her ear.

Soon though, she had no more tears left to cry and simply rested her throbbing head on his shoulder, drinking up his silent comfort. Then her thoughts turned to her nephew. She breathed through her nose to collect herself before raising her head. "Thank you for holding me," she said in a wet voice.

"Any time, love, any time," answered Burt and stroke her hair lovingly. She smiled weakly. "Wanna talk about it?"

She didn't but she knew she'd feel better after wards. "You know I'm from England, right?" Burt nodded. That he found out on their second date. "My family consisted of my parents, my two younger sisters and me. Petunia is… was three years younger than I am and Lily was two years younger than she was. I was twenty when I met Chris, he was twenty-two and engaged to his high school sweet heart. He tried to woo me but I told him bluntly to get rid of his engagement because I had no intention to become a secret mistress. We didn't meet again until I got my first job as a nurse in a military hospital, I was twenty-two. He was there to be treated for a bullet wound to the shoulder and sooner than I noticed I spent more time talking with him than taking care of him. I had just turned twenty-three when he proposed and I accepted. Not three weeks later my parents died and after the funerals we moved here, to Lima. Pretty soon I was pregnant with Finn and he was born June 5th '94, two weeks after I turned twenty four. When I was twenty-five both Petunia and Lily had married and gave birth to two boys, Dudley Dursley and Harry Potter. On Halloween '96 Lily and her husband were murdered and Harry was given to Petunia. According to her he was on their door step on the ext morning. The following year, I got the worst Christmas gift ever, Chris came back in a box. And now Petunia's dead too..."

Burt had been quiet during her tale and squeezed her shoulders in all the places in which he felt Carole needed comfort. "What about the boys... your nephews?"

"That's one thing we need to talk about," Carole began. "Dudley has been taken in by his paternal aunt, Marge Dursley. Harry... either I can take his guardianship or he goes to a foster home."

Ice filled Burt.

Foster home...

Not on his watch.

Not again.

Not after what happened to his childhood friend Josh in one of them.

"No kid is going to a foster home if I can help it," he said quietly. "I don't know if they're different over there than here but there's no way I'm dooming anyone into one. We can take care of him. We might need to maneuver the sleeping arrangements a little but I'm sure we can fit him somewhere in this house."

"Fit whom?" asked a sleepy Kurt from the doorway and made his way to the fridge. He took out a carton of strawberry flavored yoghurt and closed the fridge. Next he took a bowl from one of the cabinets and plucked a table spoon from a drawer. Lastly he took a box of muesli from a cupboard and carried his booty to the table. "Who were you talking about?"

Neither adult said anything, only staring at his tangled and pointing-in-every-direction hair.

"Kurt," Burt began carefully, "do you know what your hair-"

Kurt silenced him with a murderous glare. "It's not even 9:30 on a Saturday morning, I can look exactly what the hell I fell like. And let me tell you, I feel like hell. I tried to stay up until Finn got home to make sure the idiot wouldn't strangle himself when he took off his clothes but I fell asleep around one am. My dreams were weird and I woke up all through the night. Then, when I finally fell into a somewhat peaceful sleep, Finn comes and crashes on top of me. During the last hour I've been trying to ignore Finn's snoring, so excuse me if I don't feel like being pretty at the moment."

Not once did he raise his voice but at the end he relaxed a little. Even his hair seemed to fall down and obey gravity once again when he poured the yoghurt into the bowl almost instantly followed by muesli.

"You still haven't answered my question, who's going to fit into this house?" Kurt asked, ignoring his earlier rant and looked at his dad expectantly.

Burt and Carole glanced at each other before Burt turned back to him.

"That is something we need to discuss with all four of us present," the older Hummel finally said.

"I can go wake Finn," Kurt offered with an innocent look on his face. Neither adult bought it.

"During dinner today."

Kurt rolled his eyes and took a spoonful of his breakfast.

Having grown up in the house as an only child, he knew it better than anyone, including his dad. He knew all the loose floor planks and wall panels. He knew from which corner it was blowing in just by listening. He knew where a spider colony lived and where the mice family slept. He knew which steps creaked and where you could hear everything said in the kitchen or the living room.

But he also knew where there was an unused room which is why he suggested it as this "Harry's" bedroom.

"What about the attic?"

"No," answered Burt right away.

"Why not?" inquired Kurt with narrowed eyes.

Both Hudsons switched looking between the father and the son, knowing they both were incredibly stubborn.

"Because it isn't suitable for winter use," Burt answered. "Why do you think your room is in the basement?"

"Because I can't stand heights," Kurt tossed back. "And of course it's suitable for winter use. Where do you think I slept after that fight we had two years ago?"

"The library?" offered Burt hopefully.

Kurt snorted. "Yeah, if I wanted asthma. No, I took a couple of the big pillows and quilts and went to the attic. Sure it was a bit chilly but nothing a few small repair can't change. They'll be easy to make when we're redecorating the room. If you don't want to help cleaning it, you don't have to. I'm sure I can do it by myself tomorrow if I have to, but I would appreciate help repairing the walls. Now that this discussion is over, we can go back to dinner. Finn, would you please pass the vegetables?"

"But Kurt-"

"I said over!" snapped the teenager and took the vegetables Finn offered. "Carole, these vegetables are delicious, what do you add to them?"

"Just some honey when they're frying, dear," answered Carole who wanted to dissolve the tension between the Hummels. "It's a trick I came up with to make sure Finn ate his vegetables as a kid. If it was sweet, he'd eat it. He even tried to add sugar to his potatoes once when I wasn't looking but he couldn't eat them. (3)"

Kurt laughed. "I believe I tried something similar with syrup and sausage. Let me tell you, it was even worse than sausage without syrup..."

Next day Kurt held to his word: he emptied the attic of the few boxes stored there, dusted the place, vacuumed, washed the windows and finally mopped the floor with all the windows open on all four windows. All this was done in light blue khakis, deep blue tank top and sky blue apron, no shoes or socks in sight, and his iPod was in his apron pocket, headset on. By three in the afternoon it was sparkling like the best of them in the summer sun, at least if you ignored the condition the walls were in. That was taken care of by Burt who had been shopping for repair materials most of the time Kurt had been cleaning.

The morning after Kurt was a bit stiff, not used to so intense cleaning. When he hobbled to the kitchen Burt fussed over him and even made his tea (4) for him (a first, and it was horrible, but Kurt appriciated the effort).

"Dad, I'm fine, honestly," Kurt finally said when he'd had enough. "So what if my muscles are a bit stiff, they'll loosen up during the day. Say Carole, have you already called that Mr. Davidson to tell him that you've decided to take Harry?"

"Yes, the call ended fifteen minutes ago," Carole nodded and sipped her tea. "Harry'll be arriving here on Sunday evening."

"Oh," Kurt frowned. "I can't be here to welcome him then. I promised Mercedes weeks ago I'd spend the night at her place. We're going to watch the musical marathon on one of the movie channels and then we're going to-"

"Okay, Kurt, I think we get the picture!" Burt interrupted and fidgeted uncomfortably. He loved Kurt, he really did, but he didn't need to know that he talked about boys with his girl friends like he had talked about girls with his boy friends. "It's too bad, really, you're the one who has decorated this place, you should be the one to show it off."

Kurt chuckled a was nice to know he was appreciated at home when in school his peers just... just didn't understand him, save Mercedes... "Yes, it's a shame but I can't help it..."

Kurt's fidgeting was making Mercedes nervous, he could tell from the way she ate the popcorn like there was no tomorrow. But there was no way he could help it! Harry's plane had landed almost two hours ago and surely they were already home! And he wasn't there to welcome him and show him around to see all the reactions! It was unfair! He wanted to hear the praise of his decorating style!

And of course he wanted to meet Harry himself...

"Okay, what's up Kurt?" Mercedes finally snapped and paused 'My Fair Lady'. "Normally you're relaxed after you've redecorated something and now you just can't sit still."

"Oh, uh, sorry Mercedes," Kurt sighed and bowed his head. "It's just... Finn's cousin... I'm not there... my pride and joy... he doesn't like it? ...from England... fancy boarding school... And now I'm not there to see his first reactions to the rooms!"

"I didn't understand even half of what you just said," answered Mercedes. "Only something about Finn's cousin, from England and a boarding school. Could you please explain a little better?"

Kurt bit his lip. "Finn's aunt died and now his cousin is coming to live with us. It was his room that I redecorated. What if he doesn't like it? I spent hours upon hours on that room, Mercedes! What if it's not up to his standards? He's been to a fancy British boarding school since he was eleven! I've seen pictures from that kind of schools. How is anything supposed to compete with that? And only mental cases or the crème de la crème goes to one! How am I supposed to act if he's some English gentleman? What if he's anti-gay? Or some super Christian? Or he dresses better than I do?"

"Calm down, Kurt!" Mercedes chastised him. "You know anything about him?

"Only that he's a year younger than me and that he's gone to that fancy boarding school," Kurt answered. "For all I know he could be a one eyed freak with three arms or a bully worse than Karofsky!"

"So you're concentrating on all the negative stuff," Mercedes narrowed her eyes. "Has it even crossed your mind that he could be gorgeous, kind and smart?"

Actually it hadn't even crossed Kurt's thoughts, he'd been too caught up in the fact that Harry was younger than he was: it wouldn't be fair if he was gorgeous and kind and smart, because Kurt wanted someone older (or at least same age) than him, someone who would take care of him! "No, I haven't thought of that," he frowned. "Besides, he's younger than us, and with our luck, he's a homophobic racist or something."

"You're always such a bag of sunshine aren't you?" smirked Mercedes. "Now that you've told me what's bothering you, do you think you can sit still for the rest of the movie? You're gonna met him tomorrow anyway."

"Yeah," Kurt nodded with a thoughtful expression, "I think I can."

Mercedes continued the movie and they fell into the story of Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins.

With a sigh Kurt sat down to the park bench with his art pad and pencil case. When he'd gotten home half-an-hour ago he'd found the house empty. There were messages on the fridge that assured him they were all alive: Finn was on a date with Rachel, Carole and his dad were in the supermarket and Harry was apparently on a walk. He left his own message under Harry's hastily scribbled one (Harry had an awful penmanship), telling them he'd gone to the park and not to worry.

He glanced around the park to find some inspiration and his eyes fell on a lonely child in the swing set. Kurt himself had loved swings when he was younger and would often sit in them alone because no one wanted to play with the girly boy: boys didn't like him because he was different, girls didn't like him because he was a boy. The girl in the swing seemed to be a tomboy based on the baseball cap on her short, blond hair, Batman T-shirt and the well worn sneakers. There was no pink in sight which made Kurt smile slightly. While he liked pink, he never thought he'd see a little girl that didn't. His smile fell when he saw the other girls on the play ground glance in her direction with sneers and holier-than-thou looks. Girls' bullying could sometimes be worse than that of boys'. Boys used most often violence but still acknowledged the invidual they were bullying, girls rather ignored them and talked shit about them behind their backs. In the long run, what the girls did was more harmful than what the boys did, even if what the boys did caused more hurt when it happened.

Unconsciously Kurt began to draw the lonely little girl in the swing.

He was doing the shadowing when someone spoke next to him.

"You're a really good drawer," the British accented voice said. "You've captured that little girl's loneliness into that picture really well."

Kurt didn't look up from his work. "Thanks. I like to draw even if my passion lies in singing."

"That's a pity," the stranger commented. "You could make millions if the right people saw your works, if your other drawings are as good as that one, that is."

"And how would you know? You're in Lima, doomed to be a Lima looser for the rest of your life if you don't get out of here as soon as you can," Kurt commented as he did some last details, then he lifted his pencil off the paper and sighed. "Done." He turned to look at the person next to him.

The boy had stylishly messy black hair, expressive green eyes, strong body build, some muscles and aristocratic features. In short, he was incredibly handsome. His head was cooked a little to the right and he was observing Kurt.

"I knew my life was interesting but never did I think I'd meet one of your kind this early in my life," he said with a smile.

Kurt was confused. He'd never seen this boy in his life and what did he mean with his 'kind'? If he meant gay, he could just say so!

"What do you mean my kind?"

"Why, you're an angel of course!" the strange boy answered with a smirk. "There's no way someone as beautiful as you is completely mundane."

Red filled Kurt's cheeks and a warm feeling filled him. Never before had anyone but his mother called him beautiful, it was always pretty or cute or girly but now a boy he'd never met and wasn't likely to meet again sat next to him and told him he was beautiful. How surreal was that? And being compared to an angel? Sure, his dad had called him an angel once but that was because he'd save the dinner Burt was about to burn.

"You're not from around here are you?" he asked and smiled, lowering his eyes from the boy's intense gaze.

"Nope, just moved here from London actually," the boy admitted with an embarrassed smile.

"I could tell you are from Britain and from a bigger place than Lima because small towns such as this one... well, boys calling boys beautiful ends with both being beaten up inside the dumpster, just a fair warning," Kurt shrugged. He didn't want the other to suffer from the same thing he did when in school. "Not that I don't appreciate the compliment, I spend rather long times to make sure I look the best I can so it's nice to hear it's working."

"I'm sure you would look quite lovely au naturale too," the boy grinned. "And chill, I can take care of my self, I've dealt with bullies before. If it's someone who wants to beat you up, you have to learn to be faster than them. If it's someone who tries to humiliate you, do it yourself then dare them to do it, call them chickens if they don't. If someone's looking for a verbal fight, you have to have a well rounded education to know more about things than they do. If it gets to sexual harassment, you go to someone who can help, and I don't necessarily mean an adult. I've found that adults do more harm than good in bullying situations."

"I have a way with the words sometimes," Kurt shrugged, "and I can pretty much evade it if a fist comes flying to my face but I'm no way fast and I hate sweating." they were silent for a while, watching each other, and Kurt noticed a fallen eye thinking he reached for it and blushed. "Sorry, it's an eye lash."

He smiled. "You're supposed to wish when you find one. Go on."

Kurt cooked his head lightly and blew the eye lash away.

"What'd you wish?" the boy asked curiously.

Blushing furiously, Kurt shook his head. "I can't tell! It won't come true if I do!"

"Hmm, good point," the boy admitted with a pout. "Anyway, I think I should head home, I've got to send an email to a friend of mine so that she won't kill me for not contacting her and telling her I'm okay and alive. I guess I'll see you around," the boy said, got up from the bench, strached and begaan to walk away.

"Yeah, see you," Kurt called after him, really hoping they'd meet again. He turned a new page in his pad and began to draw the boy from his memory. Two hours latter the picture was almost ready when Carole called him home for dinner. He packed his pencils and closed his pad carefully, making sure nothing showed. Quickly he made his way home and put his thing on the small table in the entrance hall and took off his shoes. He walked to the dining room and froze in the door way.

The boy from the park was there.

"...aunt Carole, aunt Petunia threw a right fit when she found a weed in her precious petunias!"he was telling and everyone was laughing. He was the first to notice Kurt in the door way and his smile widened. "I had a gut feeling about you, you know, that we were sure to meet again."

A smile played on Kurt's lips. "I really hoped we'd meet again, and I guess my wish did come true."

The rest of the Hummel-Hudson family looked between the two of them.

"You know each other?" Carole finally asked.

Harry turned back to her. "Yeah, we met at the park today, not knowing who the other was and began to talk," he told her and Kurt went to sit next to him, nodding his agreement to the story. Harry leaned closer to him. "But I'm serious about you looking like an angel, and now that I know you can sing too, there's no denying it."

1) In this Carole's British, I couldn't not write her to prefer tea to coffee.

2) I have no idea about phone numbers in UK, or the US for that matter, so don't expect me to even make anything up

3) I actually did that with a cousin of mine... believe me, it really wouldn't go down, the gag reflex was too strong...

4) You think Kurt would drink coffee? Hah! It poison to the nervous system!


	6. The Cousin, part 2

A/N: Hi guys! This is the second part of the Cousin 'verse and I'm not sure what to think about it. Actually, I only like two scenes in this while thing and they are the 'asking Carole if she knows about magic' and the bathroom scenes. But it was fun writing this and I hope you like it too.

Two weeks had passed since Harry first stepped on American soil and the only way for him to have been happier would have been if his godfather was still alive, which he wasn't which kind of made it the happiest he could be. He was happy with his aunt Carole and uncle Burt, as he'd taken to calling them, the two were obviously in love. He'd been introduced to Finn's girlfriend Rachel whom he found reminded him Hermione save for the fact that Rachel's passion was performing while Hermione loved her knowledge. Pretty soon after meeting Kurt in the park, Kurt confirmed that he was gay and Harry made it a hobby to make Kurt blush. Two days after he first began, Burt confronted him about it and he admitted to the older man he was attracted to Kurt and wanted to know him more before they would begin a relationship and that Kurt didn't know about his interest yet. Burt had looked at him seriously and told him not to hurt Kurt, he wasn't as strong as he appeared to be, which Harry instantly agreed upon.

Just to say Harry was baffled when aunt Carole gave him a laptop was an understatement of the year. That didn't mean he wasn't happy about it and would have lost himself to the wonderful world of internet for more than two days, if Kurt hadn't asked him if he wanted to go to the neighborhood pool with him. Harry simply couldn't pass on the opportunity show off his muscles in front of Kurt. The memory of Kurt's squeak and red face when Harry carried him went right down to one of Harry's favorite moments in the US that far. The moment was crowned when Finn took a picture of them under the urging from Rachel just when Harry had jumped to the pool, Kurt still over his shoulder. Kurt's horrified face had been made last for ever and Rachel forbid Finn from deleting it when Kurt later asked him to. She said it was just too cute. Later Finn smuggled a copy of it to Harry who put it among the photos he had of his friends on his desk.

The attic had gotten a touch of personality there hadn't been before and now it looked lived-in with Hedwig's perch, Harry's photos and his other small trinkets he'd deemed muggle safe, such as the sneakoscope Ron had gotten him when he turned thirteen and other small things. The book case on one of the walls was filled with his school books and the few other books he'd gotten from Hermione over the years. People rarely came to his room and to the untrained eye it looked like a normal muggle teenager's room but those who knew to look for them, saw the differences: the magical items and books, sometimes moving photos, Hedwig…

Speaking about magic, Harry was looking for his aunt, wanting to know if she knew about it and that if she did, would he still have to go to Hogwarts.

Many would wonder why he didn't want to return to the wonderful castle full of magic and wonderful memories now that it was known that he was the Chosen One. No more would students in the hallways come up to him and tell him how they thought he was a liar and that he should just quiet down and go die in a hole. No, now the hallways would be full of flirting females and admiring males and no Kurt. Sure his friends were still in England and would continue at Hogwarts but no person should build their lives only on their friends like he had been doing. What would be there left for him when they realized they were in love with each other? He'd be the third wheel. Of course he could try to find someone there but everyone there knew about the Boy Who Lived, dating him would be a social step to the most of them, nothing more.

Here he could be Harry, just Harry, Finn's cousin from England, no strings attached. Here he could purse who ever he wanted (like Kurt) without caring about what the public thought of him. Every place would have it's problems and people who thought they knew better than everyone else who were trying to push their opinions on others about gays and blacks and muggle borns and purebloods and werewolves and even house elves, for Merlin's sake! You couldn't run away from prejudice, it was every where, but you could try fighting it by spreading knowledge. Every place would have it's own bullies that enforce status quo and while Harry often had no problem with status quo, sometimes someone he cared about was hurt by it and then he'd have to change what ever hurt one of his friends.

He guessed that was his 'saving-people-thing' Hermione had been talking about…

"Harry? You okay, darling?" aunt Carole asked when he just stared at her for a while.

"Huh?" He startled slightly and was brought back to earth from his thoughts. "Oh, yes, I'm fine aunt Carole just thinking… Actually, could I talk to you about something?"

Carole who had been tending to the flower bed stood up and dusted her clothes. "Sure darling," she said and came inside. "Anything I can help with?"

"Oh, uh… yeah," mumbled Harry and fidgeted when Carole sat down. "I… umm… Do you know what school my mum went when she turned eleven?"

"You do mean Hogwarts, right?" Carole asked. "You wonder if I know about magic."

"Heh," Harry laughed sheepishly, "yeah."

"If you want to continue at Hogwarts, I have no problem with it," Carole continued. "We'd just have to either tell Burt or come up with a good lie about it."

"No! No, no, no! I don't want to continue at Hogwarts!" answered Harry quickly. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I've already experienced the whole boarding school thing and while I love Hogwarts, there are simply too much going on there, with Voldemort coming back and all…"

Carole frowned. "That megalomaniacal mass murderer? What's he got to do with you?"

Harry laughed hollowly. "He's the one who murdered my parents and he's been trying to kill me since then. Actually, I've only had one year at Hogwarts that he himself hasn't tried to kill me and that year people thought I had an other mass murderer after me."

"Oh my," Carole covered her mouth. "If that's true, I wouldn't even let you go back there, it obviously isn't as safe as it was during Lily's time there. Don't worry darling, I'm sure we can get you enrolled to McKinley high with Finn and Kurt." She patted his head, never mind the fact that he was a head taller than her.

"Thanks aunt Carole," smiled Harry, enjoying the familial touch. "Say, would you mind if I made dinner today?"

"Not at all darling," Carole shook her head. "Go ahead but make sure it's healthy."

Harry rolled his eyes. He'd been making Dudley's diet foods for two summers, he knew how to make healthy food taste good. "Don't worry, I've got it covered."

The rest of the summer flew by and before Harry noticed it was the morning of the first day of school and he was looking through his clothes for something to wear. He wanted to give a good impression on his teachers and school peers but had no idea what to wear. He swallowed a curse when he found an other unusable shirt from his closet and flung it through the air to his bed. He'd have to go deeper into the dreaded closet, he decided and was already halfway in when the knock on his door startled him so that he hit his head to the shelf above him.

"Yes?" came the muffled shout from the closet.

"You okay in there Harry?" Kurt's worried voice question from the now open door.

"No! I have no idea what to wear!" he whined and crawled out from his closet just as Kurt climbed the stairs. "Kurt! Help meee! You're the only one with a fashion sense in this house!" He aimed his giant puppy dog eyes at Kurt who blushed, just like Harry had intended.

"Okay, I'll help you, you big oaf!" Kurt muttered and began going over Harry's clothes he'd already discarded as useless. He held up a shirt for consideration before shaking his head. This was repeated a few times and Harry was beginning to feel chilly in only his boxers when a plain white T-shirt hit him in the face soon followed by a button up that looked like the night sky. "Well, what are you waiting for? Put them on while I search for your pants," snapped Kurt and dove to the closet. Harry, who didn't want to find out if Kurt's irritation was because of him or someone else, did as he was told and waited for the pants he knew were sure to appear soon. He didn't have to wait for long before dark jeans flew from the closet and landed at his feet. He put them on quickly and still waited. Kurt never let anyone go with only the bare necessities. He wasn't disappointed because soon Kurt emerged his closet with a black west for him to put over the button up. "And then you need black socks and dark shoes, but I'm sure you can find those on your own."

Harry smiled widely and gave Kurt a spontaneous hug. "Thanks Kurt, you're really amazing, you know that?" he released his hug and swept over to the drawer where he kept his socks, just in case Dobby ever came for a visit.

Kurt just nodded dazedly with blush stained cheeks and stared at Harry who bent over the open drawer. That ass was delicious looking… He shook his head almost violently. No thinking such thoughts of Harry! He obviously only liked Kurt as a friend, no matter how much he sent mixed signals. "I'll go down stairs. Do you want a ride? To school I mean."

"If it won't be a bother," answered Harry and came up with a pair of black socks. "If it is, I'm sure I can still catch Finn before he leaves to fetch Rachel."

"Oh, no, it's no problem at all," Kurt blushed. He wanted to keep Harry away from Rachel. He didn't trust her near any straight or bi guys. "Besides, I think he already left to get his precious girlfriend. At least his car isn't in the garage or on the drive way."

"Okay, I'll be down in two minutes," Harry told him as he was forcing himself to go down the stairs, not wanting to intrude on his privacy more than he already had.

He sighed and closed Harry's door behind him. He really, really liked Harry, more than he had ever like Finn and that had been a serious crush. And Mercedes had been giving him these knowing glances since she met Harry three days after he arrived. It was starting to get annoying, especially with Harry's tendencies to make him blush. It was like he was doing it on purpose! Just thinking of things Harry normally did made Kurt blush. He might casually hand him some sort of flower and tell him that it reminded him of him or he might take his hand in a public place or he could sporadically lift him over his shoulder and carry him for the rest of the day. There were some romantic things he had yet to do, such as serenade him or profess his undying love for him… but everything else was already done!

But he was worried about Harry. He was such a free spirit that the high school hierarchy could really hurt him and Kurt and Finn wouldn't be able to protect him, even with the help from Mercedes and Rachel. But on the other hand… Harry wasn't likely to just lay down and take the bullying. He would most likely rally some younger students to stand behind him and go to the principal with an official complaint… Kurt would gladly join him then and give his full support…

He reached the bottom of the second stairs and headed to the kitchen where his dad and Carole were sitting at the table. He took a seat opposite from them, conveniently leaving the only free seat next to him for Harry.

"Was he already awake?" Burt asked as he set down his coffee.

"Yeah, he just didn't know what to wear," answered Kurt. "He asked me to find him something, and me being the generous person that I am, I found him a great outfit that is sure to dazzle the rest of the students and teachers of McKinley high."

"And them being dazzled has nothing to do with me of course," Harry teased from the door. "At least I won't be trying to dazzle them like I do you, mon petit ange," he gave Kurt his charming grin.

Kurt blushed and averted his eyes. Harry had taken to calling him "his little angle" in different languages every day of the week and Mondays were always French. Tuesdays were Sweedish, "min litten engel", Wednesdays were Finnish for some reason, "pieni enkelini", Thursdays were Japanese, "boku no chiisai tenshi", and so on until Sunday when he was simply his little angel.

Harry took a toast and put some jam on it before cramming it all in his mouth and taking a large glup of orange juice to wash it down.

"Well, I'm ready," he said cheerfully and took a napkin to wipe his mouth. "When are we leaving?"

Harry sat in Kurt's passenger seat and fidgeted. It was worse than his first trip to Hogwarts and that had been a trip to a wholly new world. On the other hand, the stories he's heard of American high school were all quite scary.

He took a deep breath. "So this is it. American high school. Do you really have mean, stupid blondies and their posse ruling the school?" he asked and turned to Kurt.

"We had one until Quinn joined Glee and had a baby," answered Kurt and smoothed his hair for one last time. "Brittany isn't mean enough and Santana isn't blond. So at the moment we don't have a libby, unless you count coach Sylvester who rules the school with an iron fist."

"No, teachers don't count," Harry sighed. "This coach Sylvester, she's the coach of Cheerios, right?"

"Yes, she's a real terror but she knows what she's doing," came Kurt's distracted answer. "Have you seen my phone? I'm sure I took it with me…"

Harry held out Kurt's blueberry. "Here, you gave it to me to hold while you drove after Mercedes' call ended."

"Thank you Harry," Kurt said as he quickly took the phone and stuffed it to his bag.

Harry laughed lightly. "You're acting like this is your first day in a new school instead of mine," he said and opened the car door to get out. "Relax, will you? I'm going to be fine."

"Harry, seriously, call me if you get lost or something," Kurt called after him just before the door slammed shut. "Carole would skin both Finn and I alive if we let something, anything, happen to you on your first day…"

Harry, who was already busy observing the other students, simply waved his bye and soon had faded to the mass of the students.

With a sigh Kurt got up from his seat and to the warm summer air. He hoped the bullies would give him some slack on the first day back but he doubted it because as he locked his car he saw some of the usual ones already starting to group by the dumpster.

'_You have to be faster than them,' _Harry's voice echoed in his mind. _'Ignore them if they call you. Walk faster if they approach you.'_

He squared his shoulders, shouldered his bag and began his dangerous trip through the parking lot.

Pretty early into the day Harry found a boy, Jacob Israel, with a camera to be excellent comic relief. Deciding to follow him around he soon noticed the guy was doing an interview about the Gleeks, as he'd started to call Kurt and Finn's Glee friends.

The first Gleeks the kid found were Finn and his girlfriend Rachel.

"Rachel, what is your response to the accusation that you're especially hard to work with?"

Rachel, who was buttoning (or straightening, Harry wasn't close enough to see which) Finn's shirt, seemed surprised before composing herself and smiling widely.

"As her boyfriend," Finn interrupted what ever Rachel was going to say, "I'll answer that."

"We've been doing it all summer!" Rachel beamed at the camera.

"Rachel's what you call a "controllist"," Finn tried to explain patiently to Jacob with a long suffering sigh.

"Finn!" Harry called. "'Controlilst' isn't a word. We'll be working on your vocabulary when we get hime this evening."

"Yes, I'm controlling," admitted Rachel. "Performing is my life!" she added passionately. "And yes do I have opinions about it? Does my need to constantly express my opinions annoy my fellow glee clubbers..."

"Yes," Finn breathed out quite loudly as even Harry heard him.

"That was out loud, slow poke," Harry commented from the background, barely holding his laughter down.

"And who are you?" the kid asked Harry.

"Harry Potter," answered Harry with his normal charming grin. "Finn's cousin from England. It's nice to meet a real American nerd."

"Will Schuester. How do you respond to a recent post on my blog saying your Glee Club song selections sound like they come from a drag queen's iPod? " Jacob's annoying nasal voice asked the young teacher sitting behind the piano.

"W-well I try to do something for everyone. 25% showtunes, 25% Hip Hop, 25% Classic Rock... " the teacher, Mr. Schue as Kurt and Finn called him, tried to explain.

"100% Gay," Jacob interrupted him.

"Just like you Jacob," Harry called from the door. "You're hilarious!"

"Confirm or deny the rumor that since you knocked up Quinn Fabray, you spent all you summer pool cleaning money on vasectomy?" Jacob asked a quite tough looking boy in the boy's locker room.

"It's true," the boy sighed. "It's the responsible thing to do."

"Is it also true that you're suffering from crippling depression since you're not over miss Fabray?" a curious Jacob asked with no self preservation.

The boy was quiet a few seconds before taking the camera and punching Jacob. "That's none of your business."

"You deserved that Jacob," sighed Harry but a smile threatened to take over his face. "Man, why do you people pay for TV with people like Jacob around…?"

"How has life changed since the birth of your bastard child?" Jacob asked a blond girl who was at her locker.

"Well, I'm happy to be back and I'm ready to start fresh," she said with a bright smile. When she noticed the camera zooming on her friend's breasts she forced the camera back to her. "And I'm a lot less hormonal so there's really no crying…"

"How was your summer?" Jacob asked the Hispanic cheerleader leaning to the locker next to the blond girl's as his eyes went to her sizable breasts.

"My eyes are up here, Jewfro. And it was uneventful," the girl answered dismissively.

The other blond girl next to her leaned over to answer. "People think I went on vacation, but actually I was lost in the sewers."

"Desperate much, Jacob?" snickered Harry as he leant against the opposite lockers.

"What can you say about the rumor that you're dating?" Jacob asked a couple of Asian kids.

"Just because we're both Asian?" the girl scoffed. "That's racist!"

"Totally racist," the boy agreed and they walked past Jacob, moving to hold hands before they turned at the corner. A boy in a wheel chair rolled from where the Asian couple had turned to and looked crest fallen.

"You're a racist, Jacob. How do your readers feel about that?" sneered Harry from the background.

"Did you know there's a forum on my blog that's begging you to stop rapping?" Jacob asked the teacher who was now sitting behind his desk.

"Wait… the kids don't like it when I rap?" the teacher frowned, obviously alarmed by the accusation.

"Wow, even Malfoy's not that rude," Harry looked thoughtful, "at least to a teacher…"

"When are you Glee clubbers going accept that people hate you? That you're just a glorified karaoke club designed to make advertisers pay millions of dollars?" Kurt closed the door of the boy's rest room in Jacob's face.

"You know Jacob," Harry sighed, "I wouldn't be surprised if he came out and bitch slapped you right in front of the camera…"

When Kurt came out of the bathroom, he opened his mouth. "You know what Jacob? It doesn't take much courage for people to park their cottage cheese behinds in their Barkaloungers and log onto the Internet and start tearing people down, does it? But you know what does take some courage? Standing up and singing about something. So here's a message for everyone that reads your blog. Next time, instead of posting an anonymous comment online, say what you have to say TO MY FACE! "

Right after he quite empathically said the last part, a black jock threw a red slushy in Kurt's face.

"Welcome back, Lady!" he sneered and would have gone by without anyone even batting an eyelash had Harry not had been ready explode just from Jacob's questions.

But, well, since he was ready to explode, he grabbed the jocks collar. "Dude, do that again, and I'll fucking pummel you to the ground. And you know what? You can't even complain about it to the principal since I could appeal to the fact that you're bullying others. I might get suspended for a week, but you'd get expelled since I'm sure quite many of the other students would be ready to talk against you," Harry shoved the jock away from him, went over to Kurt and Jacob, took the camera, put his arm around Kurt and led him back inside to the bathroom.

He sat Kurt to one of the open stalls and went to get some wet paper towels. Before he wetted any he set the camera on the sink, facing the mirror that showed the stall he'd sat Kurt in. He kneeled in front of Kurt and gently began to wipe the slushy away.

Kurt was trying to hold in his tears. While he was used to getting slushied almost daily, he hadn't wanted to be humiliated in front of Harry who must now think he can't even take care of a bullying problem. Though… it was nice that someone was trying to protect him from it, even if it was Finn's younger cousin.

"This a regular happening?" asked Harry as he wiped Kurt's forehead and applied some magic to the cleaning, doing his best to ignore the tears glittering in Kurt's eyes. He knew no one wanted to be humiliated like that in front of someone they liked and if Kurt broke down now he'd regret it for the rest of his high school life, maybe longer.

"Yeah," choked Kurt. "Almost daily. All because I'm gay and in Glee."

Harry frowned. Daily? He doubted Burt knew how bad it really was. If he knew, he would have taken Kurt away from McKinley long ago and hidden him away somewhere, possibly a tower and he'd have the only copy of the key. He chuckled at the mental image.

"What?" Kurt asked, not seeing anything funny in the situation.

"Nothing," Harry shook his head. "Just imagining what uncle Burt would do if he knew how bad it really was. You know, I think he'd lock you up to a tower and he'd be in possession of the only copy of the key."

Kurt could see the humor in that and smile slightly.

"Then of course you'd have to grow out you hair," Harry continued, encouraged by Kurt's smile. "So that I'd have something to climb up to save you with. Like Rapunzel and her prince."

"Would we live happily ever after too?" Kurt couldn't stop himself from asking but when what he'd said reached his brain, he blushed and turned his face away from Harry who had stopped wiping the slushy from his face.

They were quiet for a moment and Kurt was sure Harry was going reject him when he saw him open his mouth.

"Only if my angel would have me," was the quiet answer as Harry put the wet paper towel away and turned Kurt to look at him, Kurt's face gently held in place.

Kurt searched Harry's face for any signs of a joke, any hint of mischievousness in his eyes. There was none. The greenest eyes Kurt had ever seen were full of sincerity and protectiveness and… dare he hope it… love… A tear fell from his left eye but Harry's thumb wiped it away and concern and fear of rejection filled the eyes mere inches from his face.

"Yes," Kurt finally whispered. "I'd have you for as long as you'll have me."

A blinding smile bloomed on Harry's face and he drew Kurt's face closer, like he was gong to kiss him, but at the last moment he changed direction and kissed Kurt's forehead. Kurt was both relieved and disappointed at the same time, relieved that they hadn't kissed yet and disappointed that they hadn't kissed yet, if that made any sense. When he lifted his eyes to Harry's once again, they were almost literally glowing with happiness. Harry must have seen the question in his eyes.

"We're going to take things slowly," he explained with a grin. "I'm not ready for anything big and I doubt you're ready for anything but hand holding, hugs and kissing cheeks yet and we have all the time in the world to make this work, so let's not ruin what we have by being hasty."

Kurt thought over Harry's reasons quickly and found them to be good and accurate on his part. When had Harry gotten to know him so well? "I quite agree, I've seen many relationships destroyed because either side was persuading the other to do things they weren't ready for yet. But I'll tell you, in my timetable, if we haven't-"

"Kissed in the next two weeks, you're breaking up with me, I know," Harry smiled. "I over heard you and Mercedes talking about your timetables in dating. During two first weeks the first kiss, one month and introduction to the family, three months and snogging, five months and touching, six months of a steady relationship, and if both parts of the relationship are ready, sex."

Kurt's face went flaming. "You heard that?" he asked in a small voice. That had been a private conversation.

"You were in the garden and it was blowing from that direction. My window happened to be open and I was too lazy to close it when I realized what I was hearing. Plus it gave me an advantage to every other boy you could have dated so I made a note of remembering everything," answered Harry truthfully and picked up the wet towels again. Now was Kurt's clothes' turn.

"You were already strategizing against my other possible boyfriends?" asked an astonished Kurt as Harry began to wipe slushy from his jacket. "That was three weeks after you moved in with us!"

"Early bird catches the worm, and you, mon petit ange, are one juicy worm," Harry said with a straight face. Kurt's face must have shown his horror at being compared to a worm when Harry laughed. "Or would you prefer being a caterpillar?"

"Yes, at least it turns to a butterfly," Kurt mock sneered when he realized Harry was teasing him.

"You are like a caterpillar anyway," Harry nodded and stood up. "You're still developing but you'll know when you turn into a butterfly, and I'm going to be there watching the whole way."

Kurt's blush returned with a vengeance. If there was one thing he'd learned about Harry during summer it was that Harry kept his word and now Harry was saying he'd be there the whole time for Kurt. That was almost as good as professing his undying love.

"While I'm not in love with you yet, Kurt Hummel, I really, really like you and I feel like I could spend the rest of my life with you," Harry confessed and threw the paper towels away.

"I'm not in love with you yet either, Harry Potter, but I have a feeling it won't be long until I am," Kurt smiled and stood up from the toilet seat. He glanced into the mirror and his eyes widened. While he seemed somewhat moist, the slushy stains were all gone from his clothed, hair and face. "Harry, you're a real miracle worker."

"Huh?" Harry turned to look at him and saw what he meant. "Oh, umm, don't mention it, I learned a lot of cleaning techniques from aunt Petunia when I was younger and I got pretty good at cleaning fresh stains…" 'And of course the magic helped…'

"Still, Thank you," Kurt said and rose to his tip toes to kiss Harry's cheek. When he got back down both of them were blushing, though Kurt's was more prominent than Harry's.

The warning bell went of and startled both teens. Kurt shouldered his bag, Harry swung his rucksack to his back and took Jacobs camera. "Open or closet?" he asked just before Kurt opened the door.

"Open," Kurt answered and looked at Harry over his shoulder with a smile. "I don't feel ashamed for having such a great boyfriend as you."

Harry answered to the smile and followed Kurt out of the bathroom. Jacob was waiting them outside and Harry thrust the camera to him with a scowl and menacing glare that had Jacob running before he got to ask the other questions he obviously had for Kurt.

A few hours latter Harry stood outside the choir room, listening to the Glee meeting.

"These are some comments from Jacob Israel's latest Glee blog," the teacher, Mr. Schue was sying. "Glee is a giant ball of suck.""

"We get it Mr. Schue," Kurt interrupted him. "Everyone still hates us. So what? So we're plankton on the high school food chain. The only difference is that none of us really care." He laughed helplessly.

"Kurt's right," Mercedes said and looked around for support. "They can bring it all they want, they're not gonna break us."

"I'm really happy that you guys have really bonded. The problem," he stressed, "is that all this negative stuff is keeping others from auditioning."

"We're good," the Asian girl shrugged. "Why do we need more members?"

"Since Matt transferred we don't have enough members," Mr. Schue explained. "And if we want to go to the nationals, if we want to beat the Vocal Adrenaline, we have to go from a small rebel force to a giant wall of sound!"

"Yeah," Rachel agreed and stood up. "Mr. Schue's right, guys. You didn't see Vocal Adrenaline at the regionals, they were epic. We're gonna need more voices in order to beat them."

"Yeah," Finn agreed and he too stood up and walked to the front. "I'm with Rachel on this one."

"You're going to have to trust me on this guys," Mr. Schue said. "Now, here's the plan. Nationals are in New York this year and we are going. Let's go show this school how cool it's gonna be, how cool we can be. If they're not gonna come to us, we'll have to go to them. They say we only sing showtunes and 80's pop. Let's show them how down we are. Let's give them the song of the year, New Directions style!"

That got some applause from the students but Finn was frowning.

"If we need someone, we could ask Harry," he commented and Harry felt his heart drop.

"Who's Harry?" Quinn asked.

"Finn's cousin," Mercedes said.

"My boyfriend," Kurt announced at the same time with a wide smile but movement ceased in the room. Outside Harry smirked.

Mercedes turned to him. "Oh, my God, when did this happen?"

"Earlier today," Kurt said with a shy smile. "He helped me clean off after Azimio slushied me and somehow we go talking about fairy tales and how he'd rescue me like Rapunzel's prince. Then I opened my mouth and asked if we'd live happily ever after like them and he said yes if I accepted him!" he beamed. "And while he has yet to serenade me," Harry made a mental note about that, "I've heard him sing, guys, and he's an amazing singer."

"Yeah, Harry's good," agreed Finn. "I heard him in the shower a few days back and while the song was weird, his voice was good."

Harry shifted and moved his head so that he could see into the room. He refused to blush because it was Weird Sisters he'd been singing so of course Finn would think it strange.

"And I believe we have an eavesdropper," Kurt smirked at Harry who tried shaking his head. "Come on in Harry."

He collected himself and walked in with an embarrassed grin. "Sorry, I just wanted to know what the Glee club was about. We had a choir back at Hogwarts but from what I've heard from Kurt, Finn, Rachel and Mercedes, Glee is totally different from it."

"You're the dude who was following Jacob around all the while making snide comments about him," the boy from the locker room, Puck if Harry guessed right, said with wide eyes.

"He was comical relief," Harry shrugged. "I don't know why you bother to pay for TV with guys like him around."

"It's so that our no-life parents don't have the time to screen out lives too closely," the black haired cheerleader smirked.

Harry gave her a calculating look. "I like your attitude. You're quite like I'd imagine Kurt if he was a girl. Thank Merlin he's not," he smirked right back at her. From the corner of his eyes he could see Kurt trying to look as small as possible while still appearing regal. "If he was, he'd be Queen Bee." With the disbelieving looks from most of the club (save Finn, who had to agree with Harry, and Kurt, who was trying to get the earth to swallow him) Harry sighed and rolled his eyes. "With the way he dresses and his place in the Cheerios he'd be Queen Bee. He knows what he wants and works tirelessly to get it. That's the attitude people look for in their leaders. Lucky for you and I, he's a guy."

"When you think about it like that," Quinn said with a half-afraid, half-respectful voice, "I think you're right."

"Of course I'm right," Harry scoffed. "I'm a great character judge."

"So Harry, are you going to join Glee?" Rachel decided to cut out this Kurt-praising.

"You'll have to show me what you can do tomorrow," Harry turned to smirk at her. He turned to Mr. Schue. "I'll come by your office tomorrow with my answer and to get my auditioning time if I'll join."

Mr. Schue just nodded and looked at him with appraising eyes.

"Are you going to practice now or can I steal Kurt away?" he asked the group at large. "I don't have a license or a car yet so I need him to get me home." Finn opened his mouth to speak. "No Finn, you've got a date with Rachel today right after school."

"We do?" he frowned and turned to Rachel who sighed and nodded.

"No, we don't practice today," Mr. Schue told the group. "It's the first day of the new school year, go out and have fun."

This got an enthusiastic welcoming from the Gleeks who got their things and were out of the room almost instantly, save for Kurt who was still pressed to his chair. He was gripping the chair and showed a great amount of restraint in not running and hiding.

"Did you mean that?" he asked quietly and let go of the chair.

"Did I mean what?" frowned Harry. "That you'd make an awesome girl? Or that I'm lucky that you're not a girl?"

"Umm… both?" offered Kurt weakly.

"Of course I meant them. You're perfect the way you are but you'd also make an awesome girl, and I'm lucky that you aren't a girl because then all the straight guys would be all over you and I wouldn't stand a chance," Harry told him honestly and lifted Kurt's bag over his shoulder. He offered his hand to Kurt who took it with a small smile and they left the school, only to return the next day and the day after that for the rest of the school year, always hand in hand, sometimes exchanging kisses before they parted for their lessons.


	7. At the University

A/N: Hi everybody! This idea's been floating around my head since I heard my little sister had gone skating in PE at school. Then I read 'Princess in Love' again during Christmas vacation and it had a scene where Mia goes skating with her boyfriend and friends and this sorta came from this. There is going to be a next part to the story, explaining why so many Gleeks are in NYC in University or other vice hanging around.

I might make a different version of this later, more suitable for a chapter story if someone wants to take it up, but for now this is it (and the next part as soon as I get it written).

Kurt saw him around the campus and sometimes in the lectures, always surrounded by friends and admirers, which was completely natural as he was rich, talented and gorgeous. He was studying history and architecture, saying he wanted to know the story of the world and the stories behind his properties around the world. He always had a smile on his face (expect when he had other, major emotions that didn't allow smiling, such as anger) and sometimes it was gentle, sometimes sarcastic or even sad. He was an enigma, no one could figure him out, why black dogs made him sad or why rats made him cringe or why redheads made him sentimental or why people with blue eyes got an approving smile or why he refused to use silver or why pink hair made him happy or why the abbreviation HB of his name made him laugh. He just had so many different layers on his personality that no one _knew_ him even if they knew him.

Kurt knew he wasn't the only one with a crush on Henry Black on the campus (or outside it) but that didn't mean he didn't daydream about him or their possible first encounter or different scenarios where he received his first kiss from Harry. No, that actually only made him more determined! Now, if only he could gather his courage and actually introduce himself to the god of the student body…

He was studying in the library with Mercedes when someone sat to the table next to his. Not bothering to look who it was he was surprised to hear giggling behind some stacks soon after. Glancing at the person at the other table he understood the reason for the giggling: Harry. The man had a few history books in front of him and was obviously doing some cross referencing judging from the way he switched between the books and made a few notes here and there. Kurt glanced at the group of young women and scoffed with disdain. While he had a crush on Harry he'd never descend to stalking, that was just creepy, he knew from experience. Making sure you had same courses at the same time was a lot more practical than standing behind stacks in a library doing nothing while looking at the object of your crush and no one (of the student body) could know he had timed every one of their shared courses and spent the beginning staring at Harry with a wishful smile.

Glancing at the assignment he was meant to do that day about English middle age theatre, he realized he didn't have the book he needed. Turning to Mercedes he asked if she could look after his stuff while he got the book and when he got a positive mumble he left the table. Up the stairs and between the stacks he went until he came to the 'Middle age of England' shelf of the history section. He browsed the shelf for a while before he found a promising looking book which was all it was, promising looking with no actual information it if you cared to read a few paragraphs. Putting it back with a sigh he continued his hunt for a suitable book. He didn't pay attention when someone else came to the same shelf as he was but when they reached for the same book he looked up and let his hand drop just before their hands touched.

"Oh, sorry, do you need this book?" Harry asked and held out the book with a friendly smile.

"Umm… uh… kinda… I need it for Professor Jackson's assignment," Kurt blushed under Harry's intense green eyes.

Recognition flashed in Harry's eyes and he smiled triumphantly. "So that's where I've seen you before! You're the guy who sits in the left back corner with that Jewish girl who's always in the musicals the student body musical club performs."

"And in every other history course you've had," Kurt muttered under his breath. "Yeah, that's me and Rachel, my step brother's fiancée."

"Isn't your step brother afraid you might steal his fiancé?" asked Harry curiously.

Kurt snorted. The day he stole someone's girl was the day world ended and he didn't spend hours getting ready in the morning. "No, he knows for a fact that I'm gay," he smiled at the memories from McKinley when he'd had a crush on Finn. "In fact, the reason my dad and his mom were introduced to each other (which led them to get married) in the first place was that I wanted to be closer to Finn. Of course, my crush on him crumbled away as soon as I got to know him better and it turned out he wasn't the knight in shining armor I'd imagined him to be."

At the mention of his sexuality Harry didn't even bat an eyelash which got him some brownie points in Kurt's eyes.

"So who's the black girl you're studying with?" Harry continued asking questions.

"Mercedes had been my best friend since high school. We befriended in our school's Glee club over fashion as soon as our rivalry on the subject subsided," explained Kurt, feeling confused. Why was Harry asking all these things? He didn't even know Kurt's name for goodness' sake! Was he interested in Mercedes? Or perhaps Rachel? Maybe even Quinn who Kurt met for lunch at least once a week. "Why do you want to know?"

A surprised expression flittered over Harry's face, leaving Kurt thoughtful. "I don't know. I'll get back to you right after I'll figure it out, okay?" Kurt nodded. "Do you want the book?"

"Please," Kurt held out his hand and Harry gave him the book.

"So, some people and I are going skating this Friday," Harry told him. "Would you like to join us? You could bring who ever you want, the more the merrier after all."

Skating? Kurt hadn't been skating in a long time but he still remembered how he loved it and he nodded with a smile. "Sure, I'll see who'll want to come."

With a smile Harry turned to leave. Over his shoulder he called: "I'll see you at the campus skating arena at five pm. on Friday then Kurt."

Later, when he'd gotten back to Mercedes, holding the book tightly, he realized Harry had known his name without asking so the recognition had had to be faked. A warm feeling settled inside him. Maybe he wasn't the only one watching Harry but he was pretty sure he was the only one being watched by Harry.


	8. Skating at the University

A/N: Sorry it took this long to get this out... I had some problems getting this out the way I wanted...

I hope you like this and are prepared for the first not Harry/Kurt one shot that will be next. Happy (a bit early) Valentines day! 3

During that week Kurt had called every one of his friends in upstate New York, including his ex-boyfriend Blaine, and asked if they wanted to go skating. Most had answered yes, remembering their childhood winters in Lima when skating was almost all you could do outside if you didn't like skiing or sledging on the few hills that Lima had. Actually the only ones who had declined had been Santana, because she already had a date but she had promised to get together with them later in January, and Artie, because he was in a wheel chair and had a big test coming. Even Brittany, who hadn't gone to Uni but moved with them to NY and surprisingly kept their large, common apartment (shared by former Cheerios (1)) clean and cooked dinner (who knew she would be good in household chores? They just had to make sure she hadn't left the oven or stove on…), had agreed to come.

Kurt had spent hours going over what kind of clothes he was going to wear when he was going skating with Harry and the other ex-Gleeks. Not that Harry was an ex-Gleek or anything… He still wasn't sure about his choice even when all three of Mercedes, Quinn and Santana said he looked good with a hint of adorable thrown in by being totally in red (it was commonly known to be Harry's favorite color along with gold). But he didn't have enough time to change one more time because it took at least fifteen minutes to walk (2) to the campus' gates where he was meeting the other ex-Gleeks and then an other five to get to the campus skating arena. He had no desire to come off as unpunctual to Harry… Okay, so he wanted to be nothing than perfect when Harry was present… not that he was anything else anyway…

With their skates (Kurt had revealed his were figure skates, just like everyone else's) packed, the left the apartment and quickly walked the short walk to the university where they met up with Finn, Rachel, Puck, Sam, Tina, Mike and Blaine. Happily chatting they walked to the skating arena, keeping an eye out for the rest of the people they were supposed to skate with. At the arena they were met with around twenty people and one of the snobs in Harry's fan club was standing guard at the entrance.

"This arena has been booked for Harry Black and people he invited, which I doubt he did for any of you losers," she sneered and flung her hair back.

"Actually-" Kurt began but was cut off when someone greeted him from the ice.

"Hey Kurt! I'm happy you could come!" Harry said and skated over before blinking at the crowd behind the smaller man. "Let them through, will you Gina? They're invited," he told the woman still blocking their entrance who reluctantly moved. "Boy, you sure made good use of my invitation, didn't you?"

Kurt blushed and ducked his head. "I just rang around and asked who wanted to go skating for old time's sake. Unfortunately Santana and Artie couldn't make it. Santana had a date and Artie has a big test coming," he tried explaining.

"Well, as I said before, the more the merrier," Harry shrugged. "Would you mind doing introductions?"

"No, not at all!" answered Kurt happily. "This is my step brother Finn Hudson," he pointed at the quarter back, "and his fiancée Rachel Berry whom you've seen. This is Mercedes Jones, my best friend," he pointed at Mercedes, "and my other two flat mates Brittany Pierce and Quinn Fabray. Over there are Tina and Mike Chang, they got married last summer. Behind them are Noah 'Puck' Puckerman and Sam Evans who're dating Brittany and Quinn respectively. And Blaine, of course. He's my ex-boyfriend but we've remained friends. Everyone, this is Henry Black."

"Please, call me Harry," Harry smiled and waved. "Anyway, now that the introductions are done why don't you get your skates on? At the table there is some free hot chocolate that you can savor while either skating or having a moment to yourself on the benches."

The chatter started up again as the group slided over the ice to the benches to get their skates on Puck couldn't help snickering when he saw Kurt's skates but Kurt just mock sniffed at him and pretended to be hut.

"Oh, c'me on, Lady!" Puck whined. "You can't be serious! Those are girl skates!"

"Could you stop calling me Lady! Even Tickle-me-dole-face is better!"

Quinn snickered. "If you've forgotten, Kurt tried to join our team when Mr. Schue set us up in the Girls VS. Boys competitions, as long as he was at WKHS."

"I still haven't forgiven him for not letting me," pouted Kurt as he laced his skates. "You have to admit, I would have been a great addition to your performances. With me, you would have creamed the other boys completely."

"True," chorused everyone.

"Too true," Rachel laughed. "You were the only one who I felt was on the same level as I was and could have taken my place had something happened to me."

"Thanks Rachel, that means so much to me," Kurt laughed and got up. He took a few tentative slides and smiled. Just like he remembered even if it was a bit awkward, he hasn't skated in a few years.

Harry skated over and offered his hands to Kurt. "Want to have a few safe rounds first?"

"That'd be acceptable," Kurt agreed, all the while blushing madly, and took hold of Harry's bare hands.

Harry looked at his hand in astonishment. "You're hands are incredibly soft," he said quietly and Kurt wasn't sure if he was meant to hear it, but soon enough a smile flitters to Harry's face and he begins to slide backwards. "Let's get going then!"

Kurt was almost sure he was dreaming or that he'd at least hit his head and was now hallucinating everything that was happening. The man of his dreams was guiding him through the other skaters, most of whom were looking at Kurt in jealousy. He was getting used to being on skates again and took a few slides of his own. Harry smiled at him encouragingly when he glanced up at him and he couldn't help smiling back, Harry's smile was just too contagious.

"Quite a following you have there," Harry said and nodded to Kurt's friends who were getting up from the benches. "How did you meet them?"

"Well, most of us were in the same high school. At first Puck and Mike were part of the jocks who bullied me while Finn looked on. He never took part in the bullying but neither did he try to stop it. Then Rachel got the old Glee club director fired for inappropriate touching and Mr. Schue, our Spanish teacher, took it over. At first only Rachel, Tina, Artie, Mercedes and I joined the Glee club because being in it was seen as a social suicide. I don't know how but Mr. Schue convinced Finn to join the club. Soon after Puck, Mike and Matt, an other jock who later transferred, joined as did Quinn, Santana and Brittany. Next year, when Matt transferred, we needed an other member to go to sectionals, regionals and nationals. Sam joined after some persuading from others. That year I was harassed by Karofsky who was gay himself but was still a homophobe. I was sent to "spy" at Dalton which is when I met Blaine for the first time. When Karofsky threatened my life, I transferred to Dalton and around spring break got together with Blaine. Next year Blaine and I decided we were better off as just friends, we were a little too different. Actually, all we had in common was singing and no matter how good our voices sounded together, we just couldn't make it as a couple. But we've been friends, all of us, since I introduced Blaine to the rest of New Directions' members."

Harry listened to his story quietly with a gentle smile. "You have a lot of friends. A lot more than I do."

Kurt blinked in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"While it seems like I have a lot of friends here, I barely even remember their names. I have my two best friends back in England, Ron and Hermione, they got married last winter, and Neville, Luna and Ginny who are all advancing in their chosen careers. While I'm friendly aquatinted with a lot more people, they are my closest friends," it was Harry's turn to explain. "But you're different, Kurt, I just can't put my finger on it."

Blood rushed to Kurt's cheeks and silently he cursed his body for reacting to something as simple as Harry's presence. He cleared his troath and smiled slightly. "I try. Being a unique individual in a world dominated by masses makes you noticeable for people you need to impress or make remember you. It… was the only way for me to survive in Lima."

They were silent for a while before Harry broke it. "Do you know what I first noticed about you? It wasn't the way you hold yourself, like you're better than the rest of humanity, nor was it the designer clothes you wore." Kurt looked up with confusion and Harry dodged a skater. "No, it was the deep ingrained loneliness I saw in you, loneliness created by being different, special."

Once again Kurt blushed! It seemed to be all he did around Harry, which was quickly getting frustrating. He wanted to tell Harry that of course he was special, that while he was lonely he wasn't alone yet all he did was blush! He felt like screaming at his body but a quick glance at Harry and he forgot those thoughts.

"Hermione says I have a hero complex, Ron calls it my saving-people-thing but I just think it's the right thing to do, and I wanted to ease your loneliness," Harry continued. "I can see that you're not alone," he nodded to the other ex-Gleeks, "and that you're part of the group and accepted in it, but you're too different from them to feel completely comfortable with them."

Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Kurt was just silent, staring at Harry with wide eyes. He'd never told anyone about how he felt an outsider when with the Gleeks, not even Finn or Mercedes or Blaine and they were the ones he was closest to, and to now find out Harry could tell all that from simply watching him with his friends… what else did he know? What else did he see?

"I…"

Harry shook his head as they took an other turn to avoid an other skater. "Don't say anything. You don't have to agree or disagree with me, nor do you have to explain anything, it's your life. I'm just stating something I see and hope that you'd let me in to help you."

"No, it's not that… it's just… I've told no one of what you just said, not my dad, not Finn, not Mercedes, not Blaine," listed Kurt. "And to hear that you just knew all that just by looking at us interact… it's quite unnerving…" he laughed lightly but sombered soon enough. "And to let you in, I'd have to know you were serious about it. I don't want to be hurt, not again (3)."

Harry chuckled. "One of the reasons I have yet to get a partner is that I don't either want to get hurt again, not after finding my boyfriend at the time cheeting on me with my ex-girlfriend (4). After that I pretty much packed my bags and came here. I want someone who is ready to commit."

The "Like you" part was left unsaid but Kurt picked up on it anyway and smiled shyly as Harry squeezed his hand.

"Do you trust me?" questioned Harry seriously.

"This is the second time we've talked," Kurt huffed and smiled. "But for some reason the answer is yes."

Harry's smile brightened to a thousand watts. "Close your eyes." Kurt eyed him suspiciously, he didn't want to fall down. "Go on, I'm not going to let you fall."

Hesitantly Kurt did as he was told to and closed his eyes. He relaxed a little when Harry pulled him closer and he suspected they'd also stopped.

Something warm and firm was pressed to his lips and the smell of Hugo Boss filled his nose. His eyes flew open in shock, just in time to see Harry's eyes close in contentment.

Harry was kissing him! And it wasn't a dream! Nor was it a daydream, now that he thought of it...

All too soon it was over and Harry pulled away, looking at Kurt shyly, afraid of rejection and hopeful for acceptance.

Kurt's eyes were wide and he blinked a few times before a blinding smile filled his face.

Seeing Kurt's smile for the acceptance that it was, Harry smiled too. "Do you want to go on a date with me? This time without other people," he said and glanced meaningfully at Finn and Rachel who were skating by a bit too innocently.

"I'm gland you asked and I'm happy to accept," Kurt beamed.

Meaning Kurt, Mercedes, Quinn, Santana and Brittany.

2) I don't think they'd want to live far away from their University. It'd be really inconvenient if they ever slept too long or something,

3) You think Kurt just stopped looking after Blaine? Of course he had a few badly ended relationships which I won't mention ever again.

4) Ginny and Draco…don't ask me how.


	9. Some mistake

A/N: I know I promised Harry/someone else last time but this just came out! I think it might take some time for the Harry/someone else come out, I can't seem to write it seriously…

This is different from my other one shots as Harry isn't the all knowing and confident man he is in my other stories… I just wanted to try something else…

Kurt couldn't believe how stupid he'd been. He knew Blaine still had feelings for him and he still had agreed to go to the party with him, "as friends" he'd said and thought Blaine had understood it. Harry had trusted him to go there with his ex and come back!

But it hadn't been his fault someone had decided to spike the alcohol-free punch (he didn't drink alcohol, just like Harry didn't either… he had no desire what-so-ever to wake up in a strange bed after making an arse of himself… damn, Harry's accent was catching…). On the other hand, it had been his fault when he continued drinking after realizing there was something wrong with his drink. In the end he had been so out of it that when a tall, dark haired person had come to him and led him to a bedroom he'd mistaken the person for his Harry. After that he didn't remember anything.

The pain in his arse sure had reminded him next morning when he had woken up with a splitting head ache to the door opening with a loud bang. He'd groaned and tried burying his head to the pillow to keep out the noise which hadn't been needed because the room had fallen completely silent.

"Kurt…?" a very familiar voice had asked and Kurt had lifted the pillow from his face to look to the door. The crust in his eyes had made opening his eyes hard but he'd managed just in time to see Harry's heart broken face before he had spun on his heels and practically ran out of the room. The body next to Kurt had moved when the door had been slammed shut and the hand on Kurt's hip tightened it's hold on him.

Kurt had felt the muscles in his neck protest when he tried to turn his head to look at his bed partner and when he finally did he came face-to-face with a sleeping Blaine.

Blaine. Not Harry.

Oh Gaga, why had his brains failed him when he desperately needed them?

He had been in… bed, his brains had informed him, with Blaine. Naked and butt hurting. Why wasn't Harry there instead of Blaine?

The party… Harry had refused the invitation, saying he had a big test coming next week. Harry had been at the door… heart broken, his brains had seen fit to remind him and bring up the image to the front of his mind.

For some reason his brains weren't connecting. 2+2=?

Why had Harry been heart broken?

Blaine had shifted slightly next to him and suddenly Kurt's brains had connected and a rush of information filled him. Harry had seen him in bed with Blaine, naked and all curled up with each other.

No… it couldn't be happening. Not after he had almost lost Harry more than once! He had to get home right now and explain to Harry!

He had tried to sit up but his head ache had protested wildly by sending a signal of blinding pain to his brains and sending him back to the pillows. Nausea had welled up inside him and he had tasted the foul thing in his breath. He must have managed to go to the bathroom or Blaine would have woken up to a bed full of his barf, he wasn't too sure about that… It may have been only half way to the bathroom… (1)

When his stomach had calmed down a little Kurt had gotten up from in front of the toilet and hadn't even glance around the bathroom to see if he had spilled somewhere other than his target. He had found his clothes thrown around the room and he winced at some of the wrinkles in them. Not that he was going to wear them together ever again, it was obviously bad luck if this morning was anything to go by… When he went out he slammed the door as loudly as he could, hoping Blaine had the same kind of head ache he did.

He had walked as fast as he could, limping as he had been, through the campus to the small house he and Harry shared. But by the time he had arrived the house had been dark and empty in the morning sun and Harry's car was nowhere to be seen.

He had opened the door, taken off his shoes and gone to the kitchen, it's where they kept the aspirin… and he had found the table filled to brim with his favorite breakfast foods, obviously made by Harry some time ago because it was all cold now. Was this what he'd have woken up to had he come home last night? Harry had gone all out and had even made blueberry pancakes.

Shame had begun to fill his insides. All through their relationship Harry had been more insecure than he had, the one who had needed comforting. It wasn't that Harry had two personalities or anything, it's just that he had been brought up to please people and in teenage years molded to help everyone. Then his friends had abonded him and Kurt had been the one to gather the pieces and build him up again. And now he'd shattered Harry's trust…

Forgetting the aspirin he sat to his normal seat in front of the table and stared at the chair Harry usually sat in. It seemed so lonely without Harry sitting on it, like it'd been robbed of it's fourth leg or something, making it incomplete.

_A chair is still a chair _

_Even when there's no one sitting there _

_But a chair is not a house and a house is not a home _

_When there's no one there _

_To hold you tight and no one there _

_You can kiss good night _

His hands went to the silver wear automatically and he cuts into the cooled pancakes. He made a face at the taste; it's not good at all when cold. Just like the house doesn't feel like a home without Harry there, shuffling in the kitchen or studying in the living room or showering in the bathroom. It was… too quiet.

With that realization Kurt turned on the radio on the kitchen table. It's some horrid pop song sung by some half-arsed teenage singer who sang only for the money and fame. Kurt knew he was a much better singer, hell, Harry (who was mediocre at best) was a better singer. He chuckled lightly and winced as his head ache reminded him of it's existence. He got up and began to put the food away, covered and anything that could be was put to the freezer. After that was done he finally got around to taking the damn aspirin and he silently cursed as it wasn't going to do much right now.

He made his way through the house to the bedroom he shared with Harry, ready to lay down, when his imagination decides to play trick on him. He almost swore he heard Harry's footsteps on the other side of the bedroom door and he opened it hopefully (just to see Harry's green eyes again) only to find it just as empty as the rest of the house. Gloomily he went to the bed and flopped down on it (on Harry's side, though). He cocooned himself to Harry's duvet and buried his face to Harry's pillow, inhaling his sent, and pretty soon he had drifted off to sleep.

Two hours latter he woke up to nothing in particular, or maybe the sunlight? Harry hated sleeping with curtains drawn so they always slept with curtains open. Opening the curtains was often the last thing Kurt did after he and Harry had made love before going to sleep next to his boyfriend of one-and-a-half years.

He sat up and noted happily that his head ache had gone away, even if he still didn't feel up to his normal standards but his happy mood left him quickly as he looked around. The room was gloomy without Harry, just like the rest of the house.

His heart squeezed. He may have seen Harry just that morning but it was only for a second and with a heart broken expression. Never again did he want to see Harry like that again. It had been… he glanced at the annoyingly ticking clock Harry insisted they keep, eighteen hours since they talked and Kurt missed his smile and subtle wit and how Kurt could just count on Harry being there to listen.

Everything in the room, no, house, reminded him of Harry. It was getting harder to breath with everything Kurt was feeling and he straightened himself to see if it'd help. It didn't. It only upset his stomach and he raced to the bathroom, this time definitely making it to the toilet bowl. Gaga, he hated this, throwing up when he had nothing to throw up any more.

He peeled his clothes off, still sitting on the bathroom floor, and almost crawled to the shower stall. The hot water eased the knots in his muscles and washed away the smell of alcohol that had clung to him all morning, along with the sweat he'd produced while throwing up. He just sat on the floor and listened to the water fall and concentrated on feeling it cascade on his skin. Slowly he relaxed and reached for his shampoo. It felt so good to get the lingering smell of Blaine off of him…

After he's done in the shower he got some clothes on and for once they weren't anything flamboyant even if they were still stylish. He breathed deeply and felt the need to get out.

_A room is still a room, _

_Even when there's nothing there but gloom _

_But a room is not a house and a house is not a home _

_When the two of us are far apart _

_And one of us has a broken heart _

He didn't feel whole without Harry and it only took a giant mistake on his part to realize that. He sincerely hopes that this wouldn't be the end of him and Harry.

He reflects on everything about Harry as he walks the leaf filled paths behind the campus, just wanting to get away from everyone. Harry had always taken him walking to those woods when either of them had been feeling bad or the need to just get away and let go. Or to relax.

A sentimental grin graces Kurt's face when he remembers a particular day in the very beginning of the semester. He and Harry had gone to a picnic and it had ended up being one of their more satisfying days together, in more ways than one.

The sun was already past it's high point when Harry finally could make himself go to the house he and Kurt shared. He'd been reflecting his relationship with Kurt, from the day two years ago when their eyes met just before a lecture and they both had felt the need to get closer to the other. Not once had Kurt seemed like a person who's cheat on someone just for the laughs. That's how much he'd come up with so now he just needed to hear Kurt's side of the story.

_Now and then I call your name _

_And suddenly your face appears _

_But it's just a crazy game _

_And when it end it ends in tears _

He didn't care if it was just to tell him that they were going to break up, he just wanted to know Kurt's reasons. He just wanted to see Kurt one last time. He has been the center of Harry's world for the past year, being there when ever Harry had nightmares or had needed comforting for other reasons.

He opened the door to a dark entrance hall, standing at the open door where he could hear the radio playing in the kitchen and his heart plummeted. Kurt wasn't home… was he still with Blaine? Would he just come ho-… to the house to get his things and then leave Harry alone for the rest of his miserable life? Merlin, he hoped not. Maybe they could at least still be friends…

Something slid down his cheek and he realized he was crying. Being friends with Kurt wouldn't be enough to keep him going, without him he was alone in the world. His wizarding ex-friends had made sure he wouldn't be able to be social with new people and his muggle childhood had made it hard to trust anyone. Kurt had been the only exception to both.

He wandered to the kitchen, readying himself to put the now ruined breakfast away but was surprised when he found the kitchen almost clean and a bottle of aspirin on the counter with an empty glass next to it. Kurt had been there, there was no other explanation. No one else had keys to the house and Kurt was the one who made sure they cleaned the house every once in a while… apparently he'd forgotten the radio on when he left after cleaning up... His eyes zeroed on the aspirin bottle. Why had he needed aspirin?

Now that he thought of it, Kurt had seemed a little grey when he had seen him with Blaine, almost like he had a hangover which didn't make any sense because neither of them (Kurt or him) drank alcohol. In fact Kurt abhorred alcohol more than anyone else Harry knew because of what had happened to him in high school. Harry had heard the story a million times but still managed a weak chuckle at the memory.

His heart constricted when he heard the front door open, desperately hoping it was Kurt, alone, without Blaine.

Kurt gnawed on his bottom lip and stared at the lightened kitchen window. Harry was home. Hopefully not packing his things. He didn't want Harry to leave, didn't want to be alone. That morning had been enough demonstration what it would feel like, living alone, and Kurt didn't want to feel like that ever again.

_So darling have a heart _

_Don't let one mistake keep us apart _

_I'm not meant to live alone _

_Turn this house into a home _

_When I climb the stair and turn the key Oh, please be there _

_Still in love with me _

Slowly he turned the key in the lock and soon he heard the click that signified that the door was now open. He pushed the door open, put his keys to the small table by the door, toed off his shoes and put his jacket to the hanger. Reluctantly he made his way to the kitchen doorway and froze when he saw Harry standing there with wide eyes, tear tracks on his cheeks.

They stared at each other silently for a while, both urging the other to speak.

"The alcohol-free punch wasn't so alcohol-free at all," Kurt swallowed. "When I realized this I was already quite drunk. In the end of the evening I was totally wasted and the last thing I remember is someone, who I assumed was you, lead me to the bedroom. Next thing I know I wake up in bed, naked, with Blaine and a killer head ache."

Relief flashed in Harry's eyes and a tentative smile made it's way to his lips. "That's all I needed to hear."

Kurt took a hesitant step forward and lifted his hand out a little, wanting to hold Harry and be held in return. Harry took the invitation and in an instant they were standing in the middle of their kitchen, hugging the living daylights out of each other. Kurt felt his shirt getting wet from where Harry had burrowed his face and realized that this must've really shaken Harry up, normally the slightly younger man didn't cry after a fight. He started to rub Harry's back and led the quietly crying man to the living room where he sat them down to the couch.

"I thought you were going to leave me too," Harry said between his sobs and squeezed Kurt just a little tighter. "I don't know what I'd done if you had."

Worry filled Kurt. Two years ago the rumor had been that Harry had been cutting himself, but luckily Kurt had never found any evidence of that, even if the man had been horribly depressed back then. Harry hadn't shown any suicidal tendencies during their relationship expect that he thought his life meant less than others and always barged in to save someone even with the cost of his own life. Kurt had had some sleepless nights by Harry's hospital bed when the stubborn raven had saved a little girl from a fire and a teenage boy from being run over by a car. The doctors had said each time that it was a miracle Harry had lived at all.

Kurt tightened his hold on Harry. "Never. You're the only one who appreciates me, or so it feels sometimes. You have gotten used to my little quirks like no other before. You are patient with me when I'm in a mood. You make the best vegetable foods, I swear to Gaga you do. And you know what's the biggest reason?"

Harry shook his head. He didn't believe someone else wouldn't be able to do what he'd done for Kurt. And he had no idea about that last reason Kurt was talking about.

"The reason is that I'm in love with you, Harry Potter, nothing more, nothing less," continued Kurt and kissed Harry's forehead.

Harry stilled completely and tears stopped flowing. Never before had Kurt (or anyone else either) said those words to him. He knew he was in love with Kurt, had been since they had been introduced, but he neither had said anything before…

"I'm in love with you too," Harry said shyly and lifted his head a little to look at Kurt.

Beaming, Kurt began to smother Harry's face with kisses, mindful of his partner's glasses. After that… well… let's just say that they were happy they didn't have any wall neighbors but the girl-next-door got a wonderful show since they forgot to draw the curtains in the heat of the moment… They couldn't look the girl in the eyes for the next month without blushing.

It happened to me last year… funny story… I had eaten only cashew nuts for the last 12 hours and my stomach had rebelled… making sure I slept around four hours that night…

I guess I should clarify some things about their relationship: they're equal. They switch roles in the bedroom, Harry cooks, Kurt cleans, they support each other and so on. There is no girl in their relationship since both of them know they are men, with a few feminine traits. They both need their partner sometimes to be the stronger one and are happy to be the stronger one when needed. Normally, though, I'd say Harry's the strong one. This just happens to be in one of his weak moments…


	10. Wishing only wounds the heart Part 1

A/N: Hello ev'rybody! I know it's been some time since I updated but school has been crazy. I mean, I have had to write a play. A play, people! It's completely different from everything I write normally!

Anyway, I've also been working on the multichaptered version of "Guidance Councilor" and have one chapter ready (along with the slightly altered, rewritten one-shot) but for some reason won't let me create a new story…

I hope you like this! The idea is during "Blame it on the Alcohol" and is… well, you know, AU from somewhere in the middle of the episode. Leave a review if you like it!

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The memory of Blaine kissing Rachel repeated in a loop on Kurt's mind as he stared at his bedroom ceiling numbly. To his right he could hear Finn shifting on his bed, trying to get comfortable. No surprise there, his ex-girlfriend _had_ made out with a supposedly gay guy right in front of him. A gay guy his brother was interested in.

A choked laugh escaped his lips and tears began to well in his eyes.

"Dude, you okay?" Finn asked hesitantly from his bed as he sat up to look at Kurt.

"Wonderful," shocked Kurt. "Just trying to determine what's wrong with me. And don't call me dude, Finnegan."

"What do you mean what's wrong with you?" Finn frowned. There was nothing wrong with Kurt. If someone claimed something else they got an up and close introduction to Finn's fist and probably a bullet from Burt's riffle.

Kurt lifted his hands to his face when his tears began to spill. "You're joking, right?" Kurt asked in a tight voice. "The straight boy I had a crush on became my brother. The gay guy I had a crush on turned straight. My supposedly straight bully stole my first kiss and then threatened to kill me. There must be something wrong with me and I'm doomed to either get raped and beaten to death or live a long life, alone and virgin." Sobs began wracking his body and he turned to his left side before curling up, clutching one of his numerous pillows to his chest.

"Don't think like that!" Finn demanded as he got out of his bed and kneeled next to Kurt's. "You're the best brother a dude could ask for! I'm sure someone somewhere will love you in a, you know, romantic sense."

"Who, when and where?" Kurt's muffled voice asked. "Let me tell you who! Some old perverted man on South Pole two hundred years in the future!"

"C'mon Kurt, you know that's not true!" insisted Finn with complete belief in his statement. "You'll find your Prince Charming but Lima and Ohio aren't places Princes Charming usually hang out in. You're getting out of Lima anyway, aren't you? You're gonna move to New York where you can be yourself without the fear of a beating and I'm sure you'll find your Prince Charming someday."

During his speech Kurt had turned to face him and his face was blotchy from the crying if Finn saw right in the vague light from the street lamp outside. There was a steely glint in his eyes and his jaw was set determinedly.

"Thanks Finn," he said quietly as silent tears cascaded from his eyes. "You actually help me decide the course of my action from now on, on a direction I'd already been considering for a while but you made the final jab in that direction."

"What direction?"

"I'm giving up romantic love," answered Kurt who's voice broke a little at the end. At Finns scandalous look he elaborated: "At least until I'm in New York." A sigh of relief left Finn. "Just so you know, I'm going to get a lot more affectionate with family and friends. And a lot more bitchy too."

"It's okay dude," Finn smiled. "I love my little bro any way he is, no matter how bitchy he gets."

This brought a fresh set of tears to Kurt's eyes and Finn hugged him. Kurt's slender pianist fingers clutched his tee and pulled him just a little closer.

"Finn?" Kurt asked in a small voice. "Sleep with me? I don't want to be alone… I need to feel loved, even if it's just in the brotherly sense.

Finn hesitated for a second before agreeing and climbing to Kurt's bed. He gathered Kurt's lithe frame to his arms and Kurt snuggled to his chest. To his surprise, Finn didn't find it awkward at all and soon both boys were asleep.

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On Monday morning Kurt drove to Dalton's parking lot and was surprised to see many of his classmates standing there, like they're waiting something, or rather someone. When he got out of his car he headed over to Dean, his weekender flat mate.

"What's going on?" he asked as he approached the gossiping bunch of boys.

Dean turned to Kurt with a grin on his freckled face. "A new student! He's transferring from somewhere in Scotland and he's going to be in your year and our house!"

"Is it normal to have this many transfer students during the year?" Kurt cocked his head to the side slightly.

"Not really," Dean shrugged. "But there was this one year when we got three new students, the new kid, the newer kid and the newest kid. It was fun until it became confusing."

"I can believe that," snorted Kurt. "You really lack in imagination, don't you?"

"Hey!" Dean shouted in mock offence. "I wasn't even here yet!"

"I wasn't talking about you, dear, I was talking about Dalton as whole," Kurt said placatingly as he patted the younger (and shorter) boy's head.

Dean pouted. "Do you have to do that all the time?" he whined and his friends laughed around him.

"But of course!" Kurt smirked. "You're like my adorable, nerdy little brother, who I happen to have to share an apartment with during school weeks. You know I have an adorable, goofy big brother at home who I have to share a room with during weekends and while I'm too short to pat his head, I do call him sweetie all the time."

The freshmen around him laughed and a few of them playfully slapped Dean on his back.

"Anyway, I have to stop by our room before classes so I'll be going now," he said and bid them good bye as he made his way to the House. He reshouldered his duffle bag as he entered the not-exactly-homely entrance hall of his House and was trying to fish his keys from his pockets when he heard talking from the hallway on the second floor.

"-room mate will be… Kurt Hummel, I believe. He transferred here a little before Christmas so he should be able to help you get accustomed to everything here at Dalton, Mr. Potter," Mrs. Reese, the school secretary, was saying. "Boarding schools are, after all, quite different from normal schools."

"I've been to a boarding school before, ma'am," a rich, deep and British accented voice replied, "for the last six and a half years exactly. And let me tell you, Dalton will be no problem compared to Hogwarts. It was an old castle, you know, with it's secret tunnels and hidden rooms."

Kurt wasn't sure if the other boy was telling the truth or simply trying to impress the pretty secretary. Which ever it was, he pushed that thought out of his mind and climbed the rest of the stairs up to the second floor.

"Good morning Mrs. Reese," he nodded politely to the twenty-something woman before him and looked curiously at the boy standing next to her.

"Good morning Mr. Hummel," Mrs. Reese blinked at his outfit. "Where's your uniform?"

"The blazer's safe in the closet in my room and the rest of my uniform needed to be washed," explained Kurt as he patted his bag. "Plus, it says in the school rules that the students have to wear the uniform for classes, extra curricular activities and when they're representing the school. As I am not doing any of those after mentioned things I am allowed to dress like I normally would." Kurt smirked smugly and then shuddered. "I have no desire to forget there is life outside Dalton's walls like the rest of the student body seems content to do. Did you know most students wear their uniforms even during weekends and free time? Thank you but no thank you. The cut of the uniform doesn't even flatter me at all. Or anyone for that matter… And blazers aren't really my thing…"

Poor Mrs. Reese was completely flustered by Kurt's argument but the other boy was looking at Kurt with a slight, amused smirk gracing his face. Absently Kurt noticed how similar he and Blaine looked.

"We-well," stammered Mrs. Reese and blinked a few times. "I believe you're right Mr. Hummel."

"I'm always right," Kurt answered mock arrogantly and the other boy smiled more widely.

"At least this far you have been," agreed Mrs. Reese. "Anyway, this is Mr. Harry Potter from England and he is to be your roommate."

"Nice to meet you," Harry said charmingly and extended his hand which Kurt took with a smile of his own.

"Entchanté," was Kurt's swift reply.

"I'll leave you boys to it then. Mr. Potter, do you still have your schedule and everything else?" Mrs. Reese asked Harry who nodded. "Mr. Hummel, you're exempt from your classes today as your duty is to show Mr. Potter around. And remember, you will be representing the school," she said and bid them goodbye before she left.

The boys stood a moment awkwardly in the hallway until Kurt cleared his troath. "So… umm… welcome to Dalton, I guess."

"Thank you… So you're Kurt Hummel? Mrs. Reese said you transferred a little before Christmas, may I ask why?" Harry asked and they began to walk to their now shared room.

Kurt hesitated. On one hand he had just met Harry and didn't know him at all. What if the boy was a homophobe? Or a religious nut job? On the other hand, Harry seemed really open minded and friendly. And he looked like Blaine… with glasses of course… and a lightning scar on his forehead...

"The bullying in my school got really bad," he finally said cautiously. "I had met Blaine, an other junior here at Dalton, a few weeks before and he'd told me about the zero bullying tolerance policy here at Dalton. When it got to the point in which my life was threatened, my dad and step mom decide to transfer me here. What about you? Why did you transfer here?"

"Too many bad memories in England," answered Harry with a tight voice before a grin took over his face for the next part. "Decided I needed to get away. Threw a dart at a world map. It landed closest to the States. I threw an other dart at the map of USA. It landed on Ohio. The third dart hit Westerville. Then I did some research and found Dalton which was a huge relief. Going from boarding school in the middle of nowhere to going to a normal high school still in the middle of nowhere would have been a bit too big of a culture shock."

Kurt laughed a little disbelievingly. "You let a dart decide that you should come to the most boring place in the whole of United States of America? Why didn't you go to New York or LA or Seattle or Phoenix or Atlanta? Any other place would have been better, believe me." He opened their flat's door. "We normally leave our shoes here because that way we don't have to clean as often as other vice we would have to. That's Dean's room, he's a freshman. Nick sleeps there, he's a senior. Matt and Kim live there and they're sophomore. This is the common room and the kitchenette is behind that corner. Each room has it's own shower and toilet so there won't be incredibly long wait… well, you might have. I take a lot of time in the bathroom, I apologize in advance."

Harry laughed. "You can't take longer than four other boys who, half asleep mind you, get out of bed and into the shower in their turns. I was late more often than not because someone spilled their shampoo on the floor, didn't mop it up and someone else slipped on it."

"You had turns? And you were the last?" Kurt asked with disbelief as he once again opened a locked door, this time into their dorm room. "I don't believe I would have been able to stand it…" he said, thinking of how he had to share his bathroom with Finn who always squeezed the tooth paste tube wrong and didn't know how to clean up after shaving… Now multiply that with four… He shuddered with disgust.

"Yes and yes," answered Harry with an eye roll. "I don't need much time. I prefer to shower in the evenings so my morning routines are fairly simple."

"There is nothing simple in morning routines even without a shower! It takes me at least forty-five minutes to get ready without the shower! And that doesn't include dressing!" Kurt breathed half horrified half amused. When he realized what he'd just blurted out he blushed furiously.

"Aww," Harry crooned teasingly, "don't worry, I can sleep through anything. You could probably sing "Defying Gravity" on the top of your lungs in shower and I wouldn't wake up. And after that you could clink all your lotions and fru-fru potions all you want and I'd still sleep 'til my alarm went off. I really wouldn't care even if I was awake. Two of my room mates back in Hogwarts were gay for each other and as long as they put up the "Do not disturb" sign we were okay with them. And I guess I could ask you not to do anything on my bed… I promise I won't be doing anything on your either."

Embarrassed, Kurt lowered his head. "Am I really that obvious?"

"You, my friend, would be obvious among a hundred metrosexuals," Harry mock apologized to him. "But it's not a bad thing though. Well, maybe in a small place like this with predjuces running rampant but in the real world it's better to simply be yourself."

Kurt smiled thankfully. "You are the second person, other than my family, that it's okay for me to be myself."

"Who's the first?" asked Harry curiously and flopped to the bed that didn't have any linen.

"Blaine, the junior I told you about a bit earlier," Kurt answered and put his bag on the bed.

"Had a crush on him, didn't you?"

"Yes," Kurt agreed. "Then last weekend he went and kissed my brother's ex-girlfriend. Before that, everyone thought he was gay but now he's having the bi-sexual crisis normally in the beginning when you're figuring out your orientation."

"Huh…" was Harry's only comment.

"So my crush on him died an almost instant death, let me assure you," Kurt scoffed. "I can't pine after someone who isn't sure of who he is."

"You know, I had the same kind of problem too before I left England, expect with a girl, Ginny. She was my best mates little sister and the sweetest thing," Harry said with a fond smile. "Then one of her brothers died and she became really reckless and began to party. She lost the innocence I had liked about her. She never told her parents about the partying so it was like she was two different girls. She's still a friend but… I don't think I could ever see her in romantic light anymore though."

Kurt began changing to his uniform. "Well, I guess I should sow you around Dalton now. Do get ready."

"I am ready, just waiting for you," answered Harry with a grin.

"I meant that you should put your uniform on," was Kurt's dry answer.


	11. The Wizard and I Part 2

A/N: Whaaa! This was fun to write! :) This gives some insight to them all! And it was sparked with watching AVPM and AVPS. Darren Criss really looks like Harry… with hazel eyes… There'll be a third part to this 'verse, I think. At least I want to know what happens next.

Harry Fado was the only one who noticed the Wicked reference and mentioned it so I felt compelled to mention him. (assuming Harry Fado is a boy, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) (Yes, I've seen the musical and read the books! All in a months work… :) )

BTW, this happens just before Original Song, so Blaine still hasn't realized he's in love with Kurt… and Harry just likes teasing Kurt, at this point that is… I have no idea how this will end! Help? Leave a review!

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Kurt wasn't regretting his decision. No, he wasn't, who told you other vice? It certainly couldn't have been Finn, being the only one to know of his decision and they hadn't really talked about that since the Blaine-Rachel (or nicknamed Raine by New Directions) disaster. Blaine was now single and as gay as before that whole mess. Not that Kurt went back to being desperate for Blaine, no. No matter how charming Blaine was being, no matter how thoughtful he was, Kurt had given up on him. Especially after he found out Blaine didn't think he was sexy… way to damage a guy's self-esteem…

No, the problem was his new, British, very-Blaine-alike roommate Harry Potter. And Kurt wasn't even attracted to him because of his resemblance to Blaine… though his reaction to a photo of Blaine had been somewhat amusing… but mostly intriguing…

Flashback:

Kurt had been flittering around the dorm, arranging his things. This was the result of one too many cups of coffee too late in the afternoon, curtsy of Blaine. Harry had been in the shower after complaining to Kurt about his unusually chipper mood and a slight headache.

The photos on Kurt's nightstand had been rearranged. Before, the photos of his family had been on the front and friends had been in the back, slightly covered by the ones in front of them. Now the picture of Blaine was on fore front and it drew Harry's attention right after he got out of the shower, with only a towel around his hips.

"Who's that?" he'd asked and pointed at the photo.

Kurt, who had been shuffling through some papers by his desk, looked up and blinked. "Huh? Oh? That's Blaine. That was taken a little after I transferred to Dalton and Blaine was still showing me the ropes here."

"He looks like dad…" Harry said quietly, like it meant something to him other than a coincidence. Kurt was quite sure he wasn't meant to hear that… "I-I mean he looks quite a lot like my handsome self, doesn't he?"

Kurt snorted. "Actually I think you look like him. I did meet Blaine first after all."

Harry turned to grin at him. "But you don't argue the fact that I'm handsome?"

"Who am I to argue with the truth?" scoffed Kurt. "Though it's more like he's handsome and you're just a cheep copy," he teased and turned back to his task.

"Oh, how you wound me!" Harry said histrionically as he flopped to his bed, hand clutched to his heart. "I'll have you know I won "The Handsomest Boy in School" for the last three years at Hogwarts. The first was a fluke because my best competitor died in an accident but I still won it."

"That just means they're not blind," laughed Kurt and set his papers down for the last time. He went to sit on his bed, facing Harry lounging on the other. He could feel the caffeine wearing off and was thankful for it. He needed his sleep… sweet, deep sleep… "But as you look like Blaine, it's no surprise."

Harry laughed out loud and the bed squeaked which led to Kurt joining his laughter.

End flashback:

That was another thing that sometimes bothered Kurt. Harry had so many secrets. What kind of school Hogwarts was? What kind of accident killed his classmate? What happened to his parents? Did he have a good childhood? How come he didn't know how to use the computer? Any questions about personal history got rejected or answered in a round bout way. Kurt knew how Harry and his best friend Ron met but not how they befriended their other best friend Hermione. Kurt knew what kind of teachers worked at Hogwarts but not what they taught. He knew that Harry had been in front of the court but not for what. He knew Harry's godfather had died when he was fifteen but he didn't know the cause of the death.

It was like he knew Harry but he didn't know what made him so and that was frustrating. It was like a repeat of the whole Blaine incident, even with the crush.

Umm… yeah. How was he supposed to keep to his decision when he falls to the next handsome, nice, mysterious… dark… most likely bi… guy? Even if Harry mostly acted like Prince Charming and was originally from somewhere else than Ohio, what guarantees did he have that Harry would get out of these back water towns? Not that was a requirement for their relationship (if there was ever going to be one) but it would be nice… But he wasn't going to start anything. He was tired of always being the chaser… it would be nice to be the chasee every now and then…

A few hints wouldn't hurt, right? Just to see if Harry would be interested, of course…

A smirk flittered over Kurt's face as he turned to face the sleeping person on the other side of the room. This was going to be fun…

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Skimpy outfits weren't new to Kurt, that's easy to say, but trying to turn something as ordinary as the Dalton uniform into something that would ooze sex appeal was something of a challenge. Kurt read and re-read the rules considering the use of the uniform and listed every meaning of every word in the rules on a piece of paper. After that it was kind of easy to accessorize the uniform the way he wanted.

For example, no where in the rules did it say that you had to use your belt to keep your pants up, nor did they specify what type of belt had to be used, or that the dress shirt had to be tucked to their pants. That made it possible for Kurt to draw attention to himself by the creative use of his belts. Funny thing that… before he hadn't given belts much of a thought and had owned very few of them but after a weekend of shopping with Mercedes, he came back with a lot of more belts, each one more attention grabbing than the last yet always in the acceptable colors.

Another example was hair style. Sure, it was said that you couldn't dye your hair or have a Mohawk but other than that, you were free to do what you wanted with your hair which pretty much meant 'goodbye perfectly coifed hair'… at least until he was free… He had done spiked hair (Blaine nearly died of shock… Harry glanced at his hair and grinned), back slicked hair (Blaine nodded approvingly, Harry had grimaced… Kurt decided not to do that ever again…), messed hair (Blaine frowned, Harry smirked) and he'd even tried bed hair (Blaine walked into a wall, Harry was happy to get to the bathroom early (when he woke up enough to notice Kurt's hair, he complimented him on his nice, natural waves)).

Of course, the teachers tried to stop his creativity and give him detention but when he quoted the rules to them, they had to let him do as he pleased. Kurt was eternally grateful for having had listened in on Sue Sylvester's talks with principal Figgins… they taught him probably more than any of his classes at McKinley…

Some of the other students had heard him do so and had decided that the little personality Kurt had managed to weasel into his uniform was cool and did the same… Kurt always knew he'd be a trend setter one day but he never expected it to happen this early in his life. To his surprise Harry had taken to having two belts hug his hips, hanging on different sides over his shirt. On his right side hung his key ring, on his left a bunch of writing utensils (and invisible to all but himself, on his left hip was his wand holster). Kurt found Harry's use of belts incredibly sexy, especially with the way the belts plastered Harry's shirt to his torso and highlighting Harry's gorgeous ass… it was hard not to stare…

Anyway, these small changes in his wardrobe outside the dorm was nothing compared to what went inside the flat. Every night Kurt would change to small, hip hugging shots that made his perky bottom look delicious, and a top so that he could yoga without restrictions. If Harry was in the room Kurt made sure to do all the most provocative stances, enjoying the fell of Harry's eyes on him. If Harry wasn't in the room, Kurt would have a long shower while waiting for Harry to return to the room and then come out, deliberately only half covered and still wet. When Kurt studied, he did so while lounging on his bed, feet kicking in the air and often a lollipop in his mouth, being licked and sucked very suggestively, but only if Harry was in the room.

And the best thing was, Harry didn't act like Kurt bothered him! Sometimes he even flirted right back! And it wasn't Blaine's 'I-flirt-with-everybody' flirting but more like 'I'm-really-interested-in-you' type of flirting!

At the moment Kurt was sitting in the armchair in their common room, his legs neatly folded under him, and Vogue on his lap. There was knocking on their common door and as Harry was the closest to the door he rose and opened it. Silence reigned in the immediate area and Kurt was the last one to look to the door. There stood Harry and Blaine, staring at each other with wide eyes. Finally Harry blinked and then smirked mischievously.

"Kurt, my less handsome doppelganger is here," he called over his shoulder and stepped aside to let Blaine enter.

"Hey Blaine!" called Kurt from his spot and waved the still surprised boy to a seat in front of him. "So? What do I owe the pleasure for you visiting me at… nine thirty-seven in the evening? With only twenty three minutes to curfew too."

Blaine, still staring at Harry with wide eyes, sat in front of Kurt, his uniform wrinkling a little.

"I think we broke him," Harry stage whispered to Kurt, leaning over Kurt's chair's back before straightening. "Who wants some tea?"

"Oh? Would you make some?" Kurt asked with his best puppy eyes. Harry didn't drink coffee and he had many different brands of tea in the dorm kitchen, some of them caffeine free for evenings, and everyone on their flat knew that when Harry made tea, it was better than coffee. It made people feel better, sometimes even cheering them.

"Sure, chamomile okay to you both?" Harry asked the other two who nodded. He turned to the kitchenette, letting the two have an illusion of privacy.

Blaine pointed his finger slowly at Harry. "Who…?"

"Harry Potter," Kurt answered the unfinished question. "My new roommate from England."

"How does he…?" Blaine asked, still pointing at Harry, with a slight frown on his face.

"Look like you?" Kurt asked. "No idea. I've seen pictures of his parents and you're an exact copy of Harry's dad, James Potter, when he was young. Your eyes are just slightly greener than Mr. Potter's, and he had glasses, like Harry. If I didn't know better I'd say you two were siblings, twins even as you have the same birthday."

"Really?" frowned Blaine as he finally lowered his finger. "You know, I was actually adopted from England by mom and dad in January 1996. No one knew anything about me, other than that I'd been found outside the orphanage in the morning after Halloween 1995."

"Really?" asked Harry and poked his head out from the kitchenette with a frown. "My parents were murdered on Halloween 1995 and I was given to my mum's sister, aunt Petunia. I wouldn't be surprised if we really were twins though… It'd be just another weird thing in my life that I'd been lied about."

The two other boys looked surprised at this. "What do you mean?" Blaine asked.

Harry shrugged. "Before I turned eleven I thought my parents had died in a car crash and that they were useless drunks. Then I found out they were murdered because of their political opinions and that they were good people. That wasn't exactly true either as dad had been something of a bully in school and mum held grudges far longer than healthy. My godfather on the other hand had been convicted for their murder because all the evidence pointed in his direction and I hated him for a good time before finding out he'd been framed. Too bad he died two years later. And let's not even go to some of my friends who I found out were only my friends because they were being paid by money stolen from me. Finding out I could have a twin wouldn't be all that big, believe me."

Kurt and Blaine glanced at each other. That was some story… Of course Kurt knew some small bits but when outlined like that… it sounded a lot worse. Yet it just made Kurt want to take hold of Harry and never let go, so that they could take care of each other. Kurt could be the loving… umm… presence Harry hadn't had before and Harry could be the loving protector Kurt sometimes needed. Other vice he just wanted to be loved, like anyone else, really…

"I… don't know what to say…" Blaine finally says.

"Not many do," Harry grinned. "That's the best part of the whole thing, making people think about all of their own little white lies and how big they actually are. Now think about it. How would you life change if all your white lies came out? And not only the small ones but the bigger ones too? I changed the continent, what would you do?"

Kurt shrugged. "My life wouldn't change much, my dad can tell when I'm lying, even with the small white lies and somehow he always weasels the truth out of me. Sure, there are some small things I like to keep covered up but nothing life altering."

"That's what I thought until I turned eleven and now look at me," Harry smirked. "Life riddled with lies and now possibly finding out I have a twin brother. For all we know you could be a Prince or something."

Kurt and Blaine laughed, Harry's reasoning was just so amusing.

The kettle whistled and Harry hurriedly turned back to making tea.

"What was your original reason for coming here?" Kurt changed the subject and turned back to Blaine.

"Huh?" Blaine turns to look at Kurt. "Oh! I… I don't actually remember… It had something to do with the Warblers but for the death of me I can't remember what it was…"

Kurt giggled at Blaine's embarrassed smile, feeling Harry look at them. "It's okay. You know, you could have texted me. You didn't have to come all the way from across the campus to tell me… and then forget it…"

"Yeah, I probably should have," Blaine laughed. "But the forgetting part was Harry's fault, really. I thought someone had put a mirror in front of your door when he opened it. How come he wasn't more surprised to see me?"

"I have a picture of you on my nightstand and he sees it, like, every single day," answered Kurt and rolled his eyes. "He commented on it when he first noticed it but after that he just let it be."

"You have a picture of me on your nightstand?" Blaine asked, obviously surprised.

"Of course," Kurt rolled his eyes. "You're on of my best friends so you're right there with Mercedes, Brittany, Finn and the rest of New Directions."

"Does that mean I'm not your friend?" Harry asked with a pout from the kitchenette. "Since you don't have a picture of me with the rest of your friends?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Why would I need a picture of you in our room since you're right across the room from me? I have a picture of you at home though, if that makes you feel better."

"It certainly makes me feel better," Harry mock sniffed and brought three cups and a sugar holder to the coffee table before returning to fetch the tea. "The famous colored cup is Kurt's, you can pick either one of the other two," he glanced at Blaine as he set down the tea and milk. "Don't worry Kurt, the milk is low fat and organic. The sugar too, organic I mean, not low fat… Does sugar have fat or is fat sugar? Since they both have a fattening effect… I've never found out…"Since they both have a fattening effect… I've never found out…"

Kurt leveled Harry with a look. "You know my favorite cup and that I prefer to eat organic stuff?"

"Sure," Harry said off handedly as Blaine took the maroon cup, leaving the jade one to Harry. "It's not a big deal. I also know your coffee order, it's grande non-fat mocha by the way, that you like your books in color order and that you rotate your pictures on your nightstand."

Kurt thought about it for a second and realized Harry was right. "Oh my Gaga! I didn't even know I put my books in color order! Obsessive much(1)?"

"Nah, " Harry denied. "Just observant. Did you know you also always talk in your sleep between three and four Am.? The conversations we have… Sadly, after four you always clam up."

Blushing, Kurt docked his head and reached for the famous colored cup, filling it with tea, two spoons of sugar and milk.

Blaine smiled at them. "You two are weird."

"Why thank you!" Kurt beamed. "You're weird too."

Harry laughed. "You two are totally random. But anyway, I think I could write to a few of my parents friends and ask if I had a twin if you want, Blaine."

Blaine nodded, turning somber. "Please, if you could. I've been wondering who I am and where I come from since my tenth birthday when my parents told me I was adopted…"

"I just wonder…" Harry said quietly and frowned, like he was thinking hard about something. "Blaine, I want you to be truthful. Has there been any weird happenings around you?"

Kurt was just as confused as Blaine looked like. "Like what?"

"Electronics going crazy, things changing color, physically impossible feats, that sort of thing," Harry tried to explain.

"A lot of those things happened when I was younger," said Blaine cautiously. He'd never told anyone about it but his parents and they told him to keep it that way. "They became rarer as I grew older."

"Huh…" Harry sipped his tea, one spoon sugar, no milk. "That's one thing that supports the theory that you're my brother."

Kurt tilted his head. "How so?"

Chuckling, Harry answered. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you and I can't show you until I'm seventeen, it's in the law. I guess I could contact a few friends, I'm sure George would be more than happy to help me with this, but it'd have to wait a few days. I'm just surprised Blaine didn't get a letter when he turned eleven… Say, you didn't happen to get a letter in the summer you turned eleven addressed to 'something Potter', did you?"

Slowly Blaine shook his head when he suddenly stopped. "Wait a second… I think we did… I think it was something like Timothy Potter…"

"Did you read it?" pestered Harry.

"No," Blaine shook his head. "We thought it'd come to the wrong address."

"Well damn, then you don't have even an inkling about what you are…" frowned Harry and then shrugged. "At least that came out better than Hagrid's "you don't know nothing about anything…" At least I didn't go telling you're completely stupid…"

Kurt snorted. Harry was one of the smartest kids in school. He didn't give the text book answers like the other smart kids did, but he always had some personality in them. And he wasn't smart just in the academic things but could give you life advice too…

Blaine, on the other hand, frowned. "But I know what I am, I'm gay."

"Not talking about sexual orientations here," Harry huffed. "But I guess you'll find out later. You've got three minutes to run to your dorm," he pointed at the clock on the wall behind Blaine who glanced there, shot up from his chair and ran out of the room, shouting his good nights over his shoulder.

Kurt chuckled and shook his head.

"So that was Blaine…" murmured Harry as he drank the rest of his tea. "He's quite funny. I can see why you'd crush on him."

Kurt sipped his now cooled tea. "Is this mysterious thing you can't talk about part of the reasons you avoid certain subjects?"

"Huh?" Harry blinked. "I avoid some subjects? Must be subconscious… But probably yes… I can't talk about certain things. It's in the law, sorry."

WHMKWHMKWHMKWHMKWHMKWHMKWHMK

A few days later, Kurt was lounging on his bed when Harry came in to their room with a smile on his face.

"George is here so chop chop, let's go find Blaine and you'll find out my secrets," he grinned and dragged Kurt up from the bed. They ran out of the room and barely stopped to put on their shoes before Harry dragged them through the campus and to Blaine's dorm. A red haired man was waiting for them there with a grin on his face, missing one ear.

They knocked on Blaine's door and when the door was opened, they were inside fater that they could be asked.

Blaine asked them to sit down and Harry began speaking.

"So, now that I have proof that I'm not a total lunatic, I can finally tell you what you, I and George are," he grinned.

There was a silence.

"So, what are you?" Kurt asked, feeling the need to hurry them up. He had some planning to do. He wanted… no, needed Harry to notice that he was interested in him as more than a friend.

"Wizards," proclaimed Harry proudly.

WHMKWHMKWHMKWHMKWHMKWHMKWHMK

Harry has a history of obsessing over things but he always denies he's obsessing. This is that trait manifesting…


	12. Dalton Junior

A/N: Hi everybody! It's been a long time hasn't it? School's a killer but starting next week I'll be easier for the next two months or so… Umm… the two previous chapters sort of… bloated to a story of five chapters so I'll post it as a separate story when I've finished it. The name will be 'Like a comet pulled from orbit, like a seed dropped by a sky bird' and I'd say it'll be up sometime in the next two months… :)

As for this chapter… I just wanted to do something that starred Blaine. And I had promised some chapters back that I'd do one… And the first part was inspired by Fearless from Taylor Swift.

WARNING: the ship won't be Harry/Kurt but rather Harry/Blaine with hints of Harry/Blaine/Kurt…

WHMKWHMKWHMKWHMKWHMKWHMKWHMK

Blaine walked down the hall, shoulders slumped and head down, not wanting to draw attention to himself during his last day in this hell hole. Next Monday he'd start at Dalton Academy which, by the way, had zero-tolerance policy on bullying. He felt like smiling but knew better than to try within the school. The bullies were always watching and he really didn't need another beating and the pain killer's he'd taken that morning were starting to fade but his lips twitched when he saw the front door. Just fifteen steps and he'd be free.

The shove came from behind and Blaine was knocked down and his things were scattered around him. He felt tears prickle behind his eyes. They couldn't even let him leave with dignity, could they? Oh no, it's the last chance to shove the fag around, let's not waste it. The laughter around him was forced, he knew that the other students laughed at him just because they didn't want to be caught up in the bullying but for them to be so afraid of a few school bullies… Not one of them was brave enough to stand up for what they believed. How pathetic was that?

Gathering his scattered things (a few notebooks, pencil case and water bottle) he put them away to his bag and picked himself up, continuing on his mission to freedom. He could already see Harry's car there, waiting for him… his boyfriend waiting for him.

A giddy feeling filled him when he thought of the other boy, well, young man. Harry was a year older than him and had driver's permit. He'd turn sixteen in four months, went to Dalton and was British. He had green eyes, glasses and was taller than Blaine by at least a head. Blaine didn't mind the height difference, it meant he just felt safer when he was with Harry. Of course the fact that he'd seen Harry take down four fully grown men on their first meeting had nothing to do with the fact that Harry just felt safe. Not to mention that Harry was more than gentle with him when they made out, waited for Blaine's permission to kiss him… to make out with him…

Blaine knew he was blushing by the time he got out of the school and he saw Harry standing next to his car, looking like the King of the World. He was regal looking with wind sweeping his hair in and out of his face and a slightly bored expression. His arms were crossed on his chest and he was leaning to his car, a red Lexus. He was the center of attention in the parking lot but he seemed oblivious to the flirting looks he received from the female portion of the student body. He was surrounded by a group of sycophants, talking to him, gossiping to him about the other students. One of the girls in the group pointed at Blaine and said something. Harry turned to look at him and a smile stretched across his face and Blaine felt his heart swell. Then the girl said something else and Harry turned to glare at her sharply. He said something that made the girls gasp and take a quick step backwards, like he had the plague. He gave them all a cold smile and came over the Blaine, offering his hand.

Normally Blaine would have hesitated, being surrounded by his classmates and all, but not today and not with Harry. He took Harry's hand in his own with a wide smile and let his boyfriend lead him through the parking lot. Harry gave him courage like nothing else had ever done. Blaine felt like he could have danced right then and there, on the parking lot, in front of his ex-classmates. Harry, who seemed to read his thoughts, twirled him around a little and a laugh escaped Blaine. He had never felt this free before, never felt this fearless.

Harry gathered Blaine to his embrace and leaned in to kiss him. Blaine smiled and got on his tip toes to give Harry better access, accepting his first public kiss in front of the assholes who had made the last seven months of his life hell. They may have driven him out of the school but they didn't win. They couldn't change Blaine and how he felt about Harry. It may have been childish to rub it in their faces but Blaine won and after seven months of torment he may as well show them.

They finally pulled apart and Harry smiled. "Let's get you home, beautiful." He took Blaine's messenger bag and they walked hand in hand through the silent parking lot to Harry's car, Harry opening the passenger side door to Blaine like some old time gentleman. Flushing with pleasure and affection, Blaine accepted the gesture and slid into his seat.

The smile on his face when they drove away (and Harry took his hand) could have lit up the whole town.

WHMKWHMKWHMKWHMKWHMKWHMKWHMK

Seven months later:

Blaine was late and Blaine hated being late. This was an impromptu Warblers performance in Senior commons and his first solo. He seriously hoped Harry would like it and wouldn't freak out…

He just ran down the stairs when a high voice interrupted him.

"Excuse me? Hi, can I ask you a question? I'm new here…"

Blaine turned around and saw a boy standing there, whit chiseled featured, high cheek bones, coifed hair and clear grey-green-blue eyes. He was a little taller than Blaine, maybe a few inches, but shorter than Harry for at least five or six inches, and skinny… a little like Blaine had been last year…

"I'm Blaine," he said and offered his hand.

"Kurt," answered the boy and shook his hand. "So what exactly is going on?"

"The Warblers," answered Blaine excitedly. "Every now and then they throw an impromptu performance in the senior commons. Tends to shut down the school for a while," he grinned.

"So, wait, the glee club here is kind of cool?" Kurt asked, sounding unbelieving.

Warning bells started ringing in Blaine's head, telling him something was wrong. Even new students were told about the Warblers by the administration. But he decided to answer anyway. "The Warblers are like rock stars. Come on, I know a short cut," Blaine said and took Kurt's hand. It was soft, like Kurt moisturized daily. Blaine knew his gaydar was slightly deficient but if Kurt wasn't gay, then Harry was a five year old girl (which Blaine knew he wasn't).

Kurt seemed shocked by the casual touch and that indicated something else to Blaine. Kurt was being bullied. How bad it was, was an entirely different question, but he was being bullied. So it might not just be a spying attempt but a subconscious need to know there are safe places out there…

Blaine showed Kurt one of the more beautiful short cuts, highlighting Dalton's good points, and then they reached the senior commons which were full of uniformed students. Kurt took five seconds to take all this in and say quietly: "I stick out like a sore thumb."

"Well, next time don't forget your jacket, new kid," Blaine teased and the Warblers began harmonizing. "Now if you'll excuse me." Now… now he had a boyfriend to serenade.

Harry stood slightly behind Kurt and Blaine hoped there would be no misunderstanding as he flirted with Harry.

When the song ended and the room erupted in applause (Kurt included), Blaine came forward and kissed Harry straight on the mouth before he could say anything. When they came up for air, Harry was smirking.

"Was that a message, Blaine? Should I run to the store to get lube and condoms?"

Blaine blushed furiously. "Not in front of people! Seriously, Harry, do you make it you mission in life to make me blush?"

"Of course, you're adorable when you blush," teased Harry and pecked Blaine on the lips. "Though I miss the days when you let your hair go free. Your gel sticks to my fingers."

Blaine slid his right hand to Harry's and turned to Kurt who was watching them in amazement. "Kurt, this is my boyfriend Harry. Harry, this is Kurt, a _new student_."

Harry caught the double meaning of those words and smiled gently as he offered his hand. "Hey."

"Hello," a dazed Kurt answered as he took the offered hand.

"Do you want to join us for coffee? I always treat the Warblers after an impromptu performance and the teachers don't care," offered Harry with a voice that implied it wasn't an offer but more of an order.

Realization flashed in Kurt's eyes and he nodded, gripping his bag a little tighter.

WHMKWHMKWHMKWHMKWHMKWHMKWHMK

Harry slid Kurt's coffee over the table to the smaller boy. "A Grande non-fat mocha. These are Wes and David," Harry introduced two other Warblers, an Asian boy and a dark skinned boy. Watching them in a row… each and every one of them had dark hair but were otherwise completely different. Wes had the typical Asian skin, David was dark brown, Harry was very lightly tanned and Blaine had olive complexion.

Kurt took it with a forced smile. "It's very civilized of you to treat me to coffee before beating me up for spying on you."

Harry and Blaine glanced at each other sadly and Wes denied the statement right away.

"You were such a terrible spy, we actually thought it was kind of endearing," David chuckled.

"Which made me think that spying on us wasn't really the only reason you came," Blaine said gently.

Kurt obviously was caught off guard. "Umm… can I ask you guys a question?" He looked at each of them in turn. "A-are all of you… gay?"

"Nah, just me and Blaine," answered Harry and leant back. "These two chuckleheads have girlfriends and Wes has his gavel… also they might come off as frighteningly codependent. I think they're just in denial about their feelings for each other," he smiled and ducked the two swats aimed for his head. "They've also been my best friends since forever so I can say what I want about them without the fear of retaliation."

Kurt saw that the two boys were trying to kick Harry under the table but the other boy just smiled charmingly as he talked, which just annoyed Wes and David more.

"This isn't a gay school it just has a zero tolerance policy on bullying," Blaine explained since the older boys were occupied. "Everyone gets treated the same no matter what."

This seemed to hit home for Kurt and Blaine saw tears starting to gather in his eyes as he opened and closed his mouth, searching for what to say. "Wes, David, would you excuse us?"

"Take it easy Kurt," Wes said as he stood up at the same time as David, leaving Harry and Blaine with Kurt.

"I take it you have trouble at school," Blaine said softly. Harry took his hand and gave him an encouraging squeeze.

"I am the only out of the closet kid at my school," he said without looking at either of the boys sitting in front of him. "And… and I try to stay strong but… there's this Neanderthal who's made it his mission to make my life a living hell." His voice broke a little at the end and Blaine felt his heart breaking for him. "And nobody seems to notice."

"I know how you feel," Blaine said and Harry sent him a small smile. "I got a ton of that at my old school and it really just pissed me of… I even complained about it to the faculty. They were all sympathetic but you could just tell that… nobody really cared. It was like: Hey, if you're gay, your life's gonna be miserable, sorry, nothing we can do about it. Actually… the only one who seemed to care was Harry who found me one Friday night being beaten by my schools football jocks. So I left. I followed Harry and came here. Simple as that. So you have two options. I mean, I'd love to just tell you to enroll in here but I know Dalton's sort of steep and that's not an option for everybody. Or, you can refuse to be the victim. Prejudice is just ignorance Kurt, and you have, right now, the chance to teach him."

"How?" asked Kurt in a small voice and eyes wide and glistering with tears.

"Confront him," answered Harry. "That's what I did in my old school in Scotland. Of course, turned out Malfoy was working for the guy who wanted to kill me so I left the country and came here."

Blaine nodded in agreement. "I ran, Kurt. I let bullies chase me away and it's something I really, really regret. Even when I got the last word in by walking down the parking lot with Harry hand-in-hand and kissing in plain sight, I still ran."

"Just… make sure you do so in a public place where he really can't hurt you or would be held responsible for his actions should he forget himself and do something," Harry added. "I made the mistake of cornering Malfoy alone and nearly died."

Kurt looked at them and let one tear slide down his face. But the small smile he gave them was full of gratitude and admiration.


	13. Football team captain

A/N: Hi… I had some technical difficulties since I've last updated… for example I accidentally deleted everything Glee related from my computer so 'Like a comet pulled from orbit, like a seed dropped by a sky bird' won't be up as soon as I'd promised… Sorry. And it's gonna be another month since I have some serious exams coming up which I have to study for, reducing my already limited writing time.

And I think that I should remind you that All these Ideas are up for adoption. You find a plunny you like, PM me and take over. Seriously. I'm not gonna continue any of these that I haven't said I'm gonna continue.

I also noticed a mistake in the last update, then named 'Dalton Senior' when in reality it should have been 'Dalton Junior' since Harry was the same age as Kurt and not one year older…

This is actually a mix of two ideas I had, one was about a story where Harry had been in Lima since before the show and the other was what would have happened had Mr. Schue not heard 'Don't stop Believing', leaving the Glee club unsupervised.

The blue car drove into the school parking lot. Harry knew it was the school's oblivious Spanish teacher, Will Schuester. He hoped Mr. Schue would do something about the bullying today because unless something was done, he'd have to take reins. Again.

Leaning against his car, he saw some of the younger jocks gather around the dumpster and the still-in-closet-but-obviously-gay guy in sophomore year. In fact, most of the jocks around the dumpster were sophomores. Harry sighed as Mr. Schuester said something to the jocks and then something more to Finn Hudson, most likely reminding him of homework. Then he left, leaving Mr. I'm-so-gay-and-I-don't-even-like-boys to his doom.

Harry closed his eyes in disappointment and made his way to the dumpster where Noah Puckerman signaled the beginning of the dumpster toss.

"Please, this is Marc Jacobs' new collection!" the boy-who-sounded-like-he-had-never-met-a-grown-man-in-his-whole-life pleaded as he was grabbed to be thrown into the dumpster.

"And what are my players doing?" Harry asked pleasantly as he walked over.

Every jock froze. Harry Potter was generally known for his sense of justice and no tolerance of bullying. After making it captain of Football team last year, he had started punishing those members of his team he caught wind of bullying someone. The punishments involved running five extra laps during practice or fifty extra pushups. Once he'd even had Azimio do both, before and after practice when he personally caught him locking other students in janitor's closets. Come to think of it… he had caught him locking Mr. I'm-having-tea-with-Mr.-Tumnus in the closet…

"Please put the kid down."

The kid-with-wide-eyes was put down faster than you could have said "fine".

"Those of you in my team knows their punishment. For those of you who are on the hockey or soccer teams, I'll be having words with Seamus and Dean respectively for your punishments. If I catch you at this again, I'll make you regret the day you were born. Is this clear? Good, now off you go, you don't have anything to do here."

Also, Harry Potter was the most well connected student in the school, being friends with Sue Sylvester and every team leader in the whole school. Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas, Ron Weasley (chess club president and basketball captain), Hermione Granger (president of scholastic decathlon and debate clubs), Lavender Brown (head editor of the school paper), Parvati Patil (president of the culinary club), Padma Patil (Parvati's twin sister and president of student union), Terry Boot (swim team captain), Neville Longbottom (president of the florists club), Hannah Abbot (president of the arts club), Susan Bones (track team captain), and so on, were all Harry's friends. The only club that Harry had no connections to was the Glee club because he absolutely abhorred Sandy Ryerson.

"You okay kid?" asked Harry as he turned to the kid he'd just saved. The boy was tiny!

The kid swallowed nervously. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Thank you."

"No problem kid," Harry shrugged and started to walk to the school when he noticed the kid wasn't following him. "You coming or what? The lessons should start soon."

A relived laugh came from the kid as he caught up to Harry who pretended not to notice the kid's covert, longing glances. "So what's your first lesson? I have AP French."

"I have AP French too," the kid said shyly. "I'm in the juniors class and it's not challenging at all. I mostly use the time to insult the other students in French since they and the teacher have no idea what I'm saying."

Harry laughed. "I wouldn't be in the AP class if Fleur hadn't tutored me before I moved here. Before that I barely even knew how to say thank you in French."

"Who's Fleur? Your girlfriend?" asked the kid curiously.

"God no, just a friend. She's Ron's sister-in-law, married to his oldest brother and happily waiting their first child. Not to mention she's of the wrong gender," Harry rolled his eyes. Fleur had known almost immediately of Harry's preference even if Gabrielle was still in denial about it.

He knew his easy dismissal of his sexuality would surprise the kid but he didn't expect the kid to trip over nothing. He caught the flailing teen by his arm and steadied him, slipping an arm around his waist. "You okay kiddo? I know many aren't this open about their sexualities, much less the gays here in Ohio but I've never had anyone trip when they find out I like guys," laughed Harry as the kid blushed. "But you know, not everywhere is like Lima. I hear New York is pushing to get gay marriages legalized," he winked and let the kid find his footing.

"I'm not gay…" the kid protested half-heartedly.

Harry smiled gently down at him. "Of course kid."

"Kurt," corrected the kid.

Harry's smile widened. "Of course Kurt."

Harry was walking down the hallway when he saw that short, loud mouthed sophomore girl get slushied by Noah.

"That's three laps Puckerman," he said absentmindedly as he glanced at the notice board where the girl had just signed up for something.

NEW DIRECTIONS!

GLEE CLUB  
SIGN UP BELOW

_Mercedes Jones  
Kurt Hummel  
Artie Abrams  
Tina Cohen-Chang  
Rachel Berry_

There was a golden star sticker after Rachel Berry's name. Huh… seems like the club had a new coach… wonder who it is… Harry just might check the auditions out then maybe join if he liked the coach.

Entering the auditorium, Harry glanced at the middle of the seats where he saw Mr. Schue. That was a surprise. Harry didn't know Mr. Schue knew anything about show choir or music. Taking a seat in the back row he made himself comfortable and waited for the kiddies to come and sing.

The first was a black girl with an attitude, most likely Mercedes Jones, singing "Respect" by Aretha Franklin. Harry gave her points for the volume of her voice and stage presence but took points for the slight wavering if her voice.

Next up was Kurt with "Mr. Cellophane". Harry was slightly disappointed with Kurt. He knew the boy could have picked a song more suited for his voice, something either higher or lower but nothing so mediocre. Also he lost points for barely even swaying to the music. On the other hand he could hold his notes so that was always a plus.

He was followed by a kid in a wheel chair and big glasses that reminded Harry of the time before he got his eyes fixed. Artie Abrams was the name and he sang a song Harry had never even heard of. Points for the sheer nerve of signing up for a show choir when in a wheel chair though.

An Asian girl was next with a fake stutter singing Katy Perry's "I kissed a girl". Once again Tina Cohen-Chang got points for the stage presence and somewhat daring moves but Harry could tell she wasn't giving it all she could.

Last was Rachel Berry with a very boring version of "On my own". Okay, the song was suited for her voice but the delivery was the most boring of all the auditions Harry'd seen that day. For some reason Mr. Schue seemed to like it the most though…

"Very nice Rachel."

"When do we start rehearsals?"

"On next Monday…"

"Excuse me Mr. Schue?" Harry said from the back and stood up. "I'd like to audition too."

Mr. Schue and Rachel turned to look at him in surprise, not having realized he was there at all. "Of course, Harry, by all means, go right ahead."

"Sit down you're rocking the boat" wasn't Harry's idea of a number they should do. For one, even the musical it was from hardly ever appealed teenagers. Two, it came out decades ago. Also, giving the lead to the wheel chair kid Artie was hardly appropriate.

When the number was over, Rachel voiced what was on everyone's mind. "We suck."

"No, I think it's the song that sucks. Also, I personally don't think it's appropriate to give the lead of this particular song to a kid in a wheel chair, no offence Artie," Harry countered with a roll of his eyes.

"The song doesn't suck, you guys just need to get into it," argued Mr. Schue. "And Artie singing it enchases the performance with irony."

"There is nothing ironic about show choir!" an enraged Rachel almost shouted and stormed out of the choir room.

The next time they had a meeting Finn Hudson was shuffling his feet behind Mr. Schue, looking really uncomfortable.

"Well, Finn Hudson," Harry drawled. "Had you told me you liked singing I would have personally made sure you'd been here from the beginning."

Finn's head snapped up faster than anything Harry'd ever seen. "Harry? What are you doing here?"

"Me? I like singing, so I joined the club as soon as Ryerson was kicked out. Hermione would have come too but she was too busy studying."

"Okay guys, settle down. I want to try "You're the one that I want" with first Rachel and Harry and then Rachel and Finn, to see which of the boys suit it better…"

"Coach?" Harry said as he and Finn approached their football coach.

"Yea?" the overweight coach said as he looked up from his clipboard.

"Finn and I can't make it to Saturday practice this week. I already planned an alternate strategy meeting for us so that we can make up for it," Harry said calmly as the coach looked angrier and angrier with every word he said.

"And why can't you come to Saturday practice?"

"Glee is going on a field trip," answered Harry. "Since it's not something we will do every week, it really shouldn't be a problem. We at least announce our reason for missing practice as few days before hand rather than just not show up like Puckerman."

Coach Tanaka sighed and nodded reluctantly. "Just make sure it doesn't become a regular thing. I can't be missing both my captain and quarter back most of the time."

"Yes sir," Harry saluted with a charming smile and headed to the field, Finn following him, almost like a duckling following it's mother.

"What was all that about?" asked Puckerman who jogged over to them.

"We can't make it to the practice this Saturday," shrugged Harry and began his laps, leaving the two sophomores to their chat.

"Well, they are good aren't they?" asked Harry sarcastically when the Glee club filed out of the auditorium. "On the other hand, they're all just the same, kind of like terminators, all purpose and no life."

"Yeah… but we'll never win," Kurt said depressingly by his side.

"Certainly not if you continue to sing such mediocre songs as "Mr. Cellophane"," commented Harry as he slung his arm over Kurt's shoulders, ignoring the younger boy's blush. "You should be singing Broadway classics or pop songs. Even rock if you want to showcase your whole range."

"But… I don't particularly like rock and everything else gets you branded as gay," muttered Kurt.

"Nah, they make you stand out. I know Artie is most suited for rapping and boy band songs and Finn is most suited for classic rock. I'm not that good of a singer so I'm suited for background singing, but you Kurt, you could be so much more. Also, a word of advice, Mr. Schue has a bad habit of playing favorites. He hasn't picked from us yet, and I'll hope for more of an advisor role, but you just keep pushing yourself forward and being yourself, he just might pick you. And in Glee, that would mean more solos." Harry winked as they came to the parking lot. Kurt's Navigator was parked next to Harry's Ranger. "See you on Monday Kurt," he said as he hopped to the driver's seat and drove away.

"You're leaving us? When?" asked Artie feebly.

"I've given my two week notice," Mr. Schue shuffled awkwardly under the eyes of his students. "But I promise to find you guys a great replacement teacher before I go."

"Is this because those Carmel kids were so good? Because we can work harder," Mercedes declared.

"This is unfair Mr. Schuester. We can't do this without you," Rachel took up the convincing.

"So does this mean I don't have to be in the club anymore or…?" asked Finn hopefully. He then shrunk back when everyone turned to look at him.

"This isn't about you guys," Mr. Schue said earnestly. "Being an adult is about having to make difficult choices. It's not like high school. Sometime you have to give up the things you love. One day you guys are gonna grow up and understand that. I have – loved – being your teacher." He turned to walk away.

When the door closed behind him, Harry sighed and shook his head. "I always knew Mr. Schuester was a disappointment but I never thought he was a quitter too."

"How do you figure?" asked Kurt.

"He walks by the dumpster every morning, he has hallway patrols during lunch and he stays in his class room correcting homework after school. He has to see how bad the bullying is in this school, he's simply afraid to do anything about it, hence the disappointment. By the way Finn, why did you join in the first place if you're gonna quit the first chance you get?"

"They found some marijuana in my locker during bi-weekly afternoon locker searches," muttered Finn before franticly looking at Harry. "But I swear I'd never seen the thing before in my life! So Mr. Schue gave me a choice, six weeks in detention and a permanent mark on my record or coming to Glee…"

"Finn… our school doesn't have bi-weekly afternoon locker checks," Harry said gently. "The teachers here don't care about us that much as to arrange it. I think there's something fishy going on here… I've got to talk to Sue before I get back to you about this, but I think Mr. Schue may have planted the drugs on you to get us a male lead…" he trailed of, lost in thought. "I'll see you guys later…"

Harry walked into Sue Sylvester's office and sat down in front of her casually. "Hey Sue, you got a minute?"

"I've always got a minute for you, curly Q," answered Sue as she continued to polish her trophies. "How can I help you."

"I need to know where Mr. Schuester could have gotten marijuana and I need to see your footage from the boys locker room and Mr. Schuester's office from Monday last week."

"And why would you need that information?" asked Sue as she switched trophies.

"I have a suspicion Mr. Schuester coerced and tricked Finn Hudson to join Glee by planting marijuana on him."

There was a clang as Sue dropped the trophy. She may be hard on her Cheerios but she'd never trick or coerce someone to join. And she hated drugs. They lowered the performance's quality.

"He could have gotten the marijuana from Sandy Ryerson who nowadays deals medical marijuana. I'll have the footage you asked ready tomorrow. Now scram."

"Yes ma'am," Harry answered cheekily as he left the office slightly less burdened.

Harry knew most of the football team were doing some free runs, but he thought he was suffering more than all of them put together, having to listen to Rachel harp them on some steps she'd been doing since pre-school.

"I'm sorry, did I miss the election for Queen, 'cause I didn't vote for you," Kurt finally snapped and glanced around for approval.

"I know what I'm talking about!" Rachel snapped back. "I won my first dance competition when I was three months old!"

"Rachel, babies don't learn to walk until they're around twelve months old and even then, their motor skills aren't developed enough for any kind of dancing unless you call running around in circles dancing," Harry said sagely. "I have personal experience with my god son, who is exceptionally bright, who didn't learn to walk until he was eleven months old. Of course, flailing your hands around could be counted as dancing if you're a cripple. No offence Artie. Finn, good to have you back."

"Thanks Harry," an embarrassed Finn said as he pushed Artie into the room. "I owe you guys an apology. I never should have quit. I… I don't wanna be the guy who just drives around throwing eggs at people."

"That was you?" Rachel shrieked.

"You and your friend threw pee balloons at me," pointed out Kurt.

"I know…"

"You nailed my lawn furniture to my roof."

"I wasn't actually there for that but I'm really sorry… Look, that isn't who I am and I'm tired of it. This is what I wanna be doing. With you guys. I used to think this was the lamest thing on earth and… maybe it is but we're all here for the same reason. I just want to be good at something."

Harry arched his eyebrows. Maybe the kid could be a leader after all, if he could learn to disregard peer pressure, that is.

"Artie, you play the guitar, right? Could you pull in the jazz band?" asked Finn more eagerly now, seeing the acceptance in the other kids' eyes.

"I do have some pull there," Artie nodded and straightened his glasses.

"Mercedes, we need costumes and they've got to be cool."

"Damn boy, don't you see what I've got on?" asked Mercedes and gestured to her clothes.

"Rachel, choreography." They smiled at each other. "Tina, what are you good at?"

Tina was caught so off guard that she couldn't even get out one word.

"We'll figure something out."

"And what will you be bringing to the table, Justin Timberlake?" Mercedes asked pointedly.

"I'll find the music," answered Finn, probably completely unaware just how arrogant he sounded.

"Finn, can I talk to you for a minute?" Harry asked in the midst of the preparations for the number. "I found out what I needed."

"Umm… sure," said Finn uncertainly and followed Harry to the control room of the auditorium where was a computer. Harry sat down and gestured for Finn to do the same.

"This first clip is from the security camera of Sheets 'N' Things," Harry said as he plugged a memory stick to the computer. He opened the file and let the film roll.

It was of Sandy Ryerson and Mr. Schuester at Sheets 'N' Things, talking, and in the end, Ryerson put a familiar looking package to Mr. Schuester's breast pocket.

"This second is from the boys locker room," said Harry and opened another file.

It was Mr. Schuester, standing and staring at the New Directions signup sheet. There was a shower going on in the background until someone started singing. That was when Mr. Schuester perked up and walked stealthily towards the showers. The camera changed and showed Mr. Schuester looking at Finn in the shower, singing. Then Mr. Schuester walked away, no locker search what so ever.

"The third is from Mr. Schuester's office."

Mr. Schuester came into the office, took the package he got from Ryerson from his jacket pocket and left the room, most likely going to get Finn.

"The next file is your talk with Mr. Schuester but I don't think we have to watch that," Harry said as he closed the windows and unplugged his memory stick. He turned to look at the younger boy who was staring blankly at the screen. "Do you want to tell the others? You now have enough evidence to go to court if you wanted to but I don't think it'd be the wise course of action."

"I… we should tell the others… just in case Mr. Schuester changes his mind and tries to come back."

"In that case I should get this application to Figgins," Harry grinned and showed a sheet of paper to Finn.

"What is it?"

"An application to change Glee into a student ran club."

"DON'T STOP!"

*Clap, clap, clap*

"I'm sorry Mr. Schuester, this is a closed rehearsal," Harry said politely but the undertone of "What the fuck are you doing here?" could be heard loud and clear.

"I am still your director," Mr. Schuester pointed out.

"Actually as of half an hour ago Glee became a student ran club," Harry corrected him. "I saw Figgins sign the paper myself."

"R-really?"

"Yes, I have a copy of the finalized form right here," answered Harry and took a folded sheet of paper from his pocket.

"W-well, good luck. I'll be there to cheer you on when you win the nationals," Mr. Schuester said and left, leaving the Gleeks on their own.

"Is Glee really student ran?" Rachel asked hopefully.

"Not yet," grinned Harry. "But it should be by tomorrow morning."

"You're evil," Kurt grinned. "But what's the reason? Did he really trick Finn into joining in the first place?"

"Yes, he did," Finn said and looked at the ground intently. "He planted some marijuana on me and then gave me a choice of either detention and a permanent mark on my record or Glee. I chose Glee. And then I really liked it and then he resigned and I didn't have to do Glee anymore but I wanted to."

"How about some team bonding?" asked Harry. "The football team gathers once a month at someone's house to watch a game and eat pizza and drink beer but I don't think that kind of thing would suit the Glee club. Who has karaoke machine at their house?"

"I do," Rachel and Kurt said stereo and glared at each other.

Harry laughed. "Great! Do either of you have Rock Band too?"

"I've got it," Kurt smiled somewhat smugly at Rachel who glowered at him.

"Marvelous! Can we all come to your place after school on Friday then? Next month we can go to Rachel's and then at my place," Harry declared. "Finn and I will bring the soda. And no, there will be no alcohol. I don't condone to underage drinking."


	14. The Soul Mate

A/N: …Wow… what a sappy ending… but still, it made me smile. Anyway, this idea was sparked by the Glee version of To Sir With Love. I know it's about leaving school, but the line "But how do you thank someone / Who has taken you / From crayons to perfume?" just caught my attention and this was created. Mind you, I wrote the first 3700 words while I should have been making my grandpa's birthday present or during his eightieth birthday party…

Anyway, thank you for everyone who reviewed. As you can see, the review count has reached over one hundred! When I noticed this, I danced a jig, seriously, I was so happy. Hope you like this one too and review.

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Kurt was five when the house next to his was sold. He and his mom had fun backing them a "welcome to the neighborhood" pie. Mom said pies were more practical than cakes and that's why they made a pie and not a cake like their other neighbors. And, well, Kurt didn't like casseroles, so that wasn't option either. When they went to take the pie to the new neighbors, Kurt hid behind mother's legs when she rang the doorbell.

A young man (he seemed like a high school kid to Kurt if it wasn't for the way he held himself) opened the door, smiling politely.

"Yes?"

"Hi! I'm Elizabeth Hummel and this is my son Kurt. We live right next-door to you," mom greeted the young man. "I thought I'd come to welcome you to the neighborhood and bring you this pie Kurt and I made for you."

The young man took the offered pie. "I'm Ron Weasley. I'm just helping Harry with the moving. Please, come in and don't mind the mess. Hermione's coming tomorrow to coordinate everything so for now we only have the essentials unpacked."

"Mom, he talks funny," Kurt giggled and peeked at the red haired Ron.

"Hush Kurt, he's from England-" Elizabeth glanced at Ron who nodded, "and that's the way they talk over there. I bet we sound funny to him."

"Say Kurt, how old are you?" asked Ron as he led them through the box infested house to the kitchen.

"I'm five!" Kurt announced proudly and showed Ron five fingers.

"Whoa! You're that old? Should I be calling you gramps?" joked Ron.

"No!" shouted an indicated Kurt. "I'm not wrinkly!"

"True," nodded Ron. "Besides, if you were a gramps, I'd be ancient and your mum would be a fossil."

Kurt giggled. "You're funny."

"I should hope so," Ron said seriously. "I'm going to be working in my brother's joke shop when I return to England. But since you're so big, would you keep an eye on Harry for me? Sometimes he forgets he has to eat when he's researching."

"What is he searching?" asked Kurt curiously.

"Researching," smiled Ron. "Researching means he's looking for an answer to a certain question. He has different ways of researching like books or he can do experiments."

"I'll make sure he eats every day," Kurt nodded seriously.

"Who makes sure who eats every day?" asked a new voice behind Kurt and Elizabeth who turned to face the speaker.

And Kurt's breath caught in his lungs.

He knew his mom was beautiful. He knew he was cute. He knew his dad was semi-good looking. But this man was something completely different. Kurt didn't know the words to describe the man but he had heard of angels and was sure the man in front of him was one. In fact he was exactly like Kurt had imagined Michael (from his mom's stories, which she assured him weren't real but were good to know, for general education's sake) being*. He was big, not as big as Ron but certainly bigger than him and mom, and he had black, unruly hair. His green eyes, eyes which flashed in surprise and then resignation when they met his, were hidden behind glasses.

"Kurt here promised to make sure you eat every now and then," Ron grinned, ignorant to his friend realizing something.

Kurt gazed at the man with new eyes. So this was Harry… His decision steeled inside him. He would take care of this man like mom took care of dad. The man, Harry, obviously needed someone to take care of him, he was so thin and slightly ruffled. What better time to start than right now?

Kurt took a brave step forward. "I'm Kurt and I'm going to take care of you from now on."

Harry gave him an amused smile. "How about we take care of each other?"

"Okay," Kurt agreed happily and began to push Harry out of the room. "First we're gonna clean you up and then I'm going to teach you how to dress. Then we can have a tea party and eat the pie me and mom made."

"We'll have real tea too," added Harry as he "let" Kurt steer him to the bathroom.

Ron and Elizabeth were left in the kitchen silently laughing at the duo who disappeared as the door closed.

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Kurt was seven when he came to Harry for the first time without telling his dad. He came straight from school, tear tracks still clear on his face. As Harry never locked the door, Kurt just came in and, after making sure the door closed, ran to Harry's study. Harry, who was bent over a book, looked up when Kurt banged into his room and flew to his lap, burying his face to Harry's neck.

Harry, unused to tactile contact from Kurt since Elizabeth's death, hesitated a few seconds before instinct won and he put his arms around Kurt in a comforting hug. "Hey, what's wrong, Kurtie my birdie?"

Kurt mumbled something incomprehensible into his shirt and tightened his hold around Harry's neck.

"Okay, take your time and you can tell me when you're ready," Harry soothed the small boy on his lap. When he felt his shirt getting wet and Kurt's shaking shoulders he knew something was really wrong. He just hoped he might be able to do something about it. Magic was a powerful thing but it couldn't fix everything… but it could fix them some hot chocolate. He just hoped Kurt was too distraught to notice Harry hadn't left him to make the beverage and not question the drinks' sudden appearance.

Soon after the hot chocolate appeared, Kurt's sniffles started to subside and he turned to rest his cheek on Harry's shoulder, rather than hiding his face. Those big, dole-like glasz eyes looked up at Harry with such love and trust that Harry felt his heart swell with affection toward this little boy who fate had chosen for him. It would be at least a decade before he would even contemplate Kurt in a romantic manner, so he settled for the role of a big brother for now.

"Can you now tell big brother Harry what troubles your mind, Kurtie my birdie?" he asked teasingly as he handed Kurt the mug.

Kurt scoffed at the name before becoming subdued again. "The kids in school…" he said quietly. "Even the teacher… they say my voice is funny and that my clothes are stupid and they call me names… Harry, what's a fag?" The distress was clear in his voice.

Harry was left speechless. Here was a seven-year-old asking him about degarotary terms when they were directed at himself. "Kurt… in England, a fag is a cigarette but here in America it is a mean name for a boy who loves other boys. And your clothes aren't stupid. They're original Lovegoods that Luna designed especially for you. And your voice isn't funny. I think it's very pretty indeed. I have never heard a prettier rendition of "Twinkle, twinkle little star" than your version. Even Draco liked it and you know how hard he can be to please. Now, what exactly did your teacher say?"

"That he hoped I would hit puberty early so that my voice would change into a real boy's voice," answered Kurt with lowered eyes.

Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself. He had heard enough of Kurt's teacher to want to curse the guy into next century… okay, the century after that since the next century would be starting in a few months. The man reminded Harry slightly of Snape, without his remedying qualities. "Do you want your voice to change?"

Kurt shook his head vigorously. His voice made him special. That's what mom had always told him. And Harry said his voice was pretty and dad liked it when he sang so the teacher had to be wrong.

"Then it doesn't have to change," Harry assured him. "I'm sure when you hit puberty, you can keep your voice if you really want. Kurt, do you remember that bowtie* I gave you for your birthday?" Kurt nodded enthusiastically. It was pretty green color, like Harry's eyes. "It brings good luck so I want you to keep it with you, even if it is in your back bag the whole day. Can you do that for me?"

"Of course!" grinned Kurt. His back bag was a nice bluish green color and would go well with the bowtie.

"That's my Kurtie birdie," said Harry and gave Kurt an Eskimo kiss. "Now don't you mind what your teacher or your class mates say, they don't know anything about you. Besides, in the end you'll be stronger for it. How do you see yourself in the future?"

Kurt's face lit up. "I'm going to marry you, then you and I are going to move to New York with dad and I'm going to take care of you both and I'm going to help Luna design beautiful clothes and sing on Broadway," the seven year old declared.

Harry smiled. "I think your dad likes Ohio too much to move to New York with you but if you really want to marry me in, say, fifteen years, we'll talk again. But I'm sure Luna would love to have you help her design clothes and I'm sure Parvati will take you to one of her musical productions on Broadway. But now, I think, you should go home so that your dad won't get worried."

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Kurt was fourteen when he found out about magic and quite by accident too. He was staying the night while his dad was spending the night at one of his buddies' place, watching the game and drinking and eating unhealthy snacks (which Kurt heartily disapproved of). It was something they did once a month and both enjoyed it immensely, giving them both the time to do things they wanted without the other's interference.

Kurt was curled up in Harry's study, reading _Pride and Prejudice_ (a new favorite, he was sure) when he happened to glance up from his book and look at the fireplace – and there was Ron's floating head.

He blinked a few times, sure he was hallucinating, but the head simply refused to disappear. Then the head _spoke_. "Oh, hello Kurt."

While Kurt would deny it later, he screamed bloody murder right then and there. And he was still screaming when Harry barreled into the room only to relax when he saw Ron's floating head. "Hey Ron," Harry said when Kurt paused for breath.

Ron glanced at Kurt. "Why'd he scream?"

"Ron, Kurt _doesn't know_," Harry said and rolled his eyes.

"You haven't told him?" asked Ron incredulously with wide eyes.

"I'm a law abiding citizen."

Ron snorted. "Since when has law ever hindered you?"

"True, but the opportunity never presented itself. Now why'd you floo?"

Ron's face lit up. "Hermione had the baby! It's a girl. Rose is so pleased. May we call her Lily Luna? You know, to continue the flower theme for girls. And to honor your mum too, of course."

"Of course," agreed Harry immediately. "It's not likely I'll ever have children of my own anyway."

"Can you be her Godfather too? I mean," Ron blushed, "I know you're Rose and Hugo's Godfather already but there's no one else we'd trust with our kids if something were to happen to us. And we'd rather keep them together too…"

"Of course! I'll send the goblins a note to put up a vault for her," answered Harry with a smile.

Ron groaned. "Harry, you know you don't have to do that!"

"But I want to," Harry said resolutely. "That way if something were to happen to me they will know I thought about them even if I wasn't there often in person."

The room was quiet for a while. "You know, I think Ginny is ready to see you again if you want to come for Christmas. Her husband will be on a tour and won't make it, just in case you wanted to know."

"I'm spending the Christmas with Kurt and his dad, but thanks for the invite, I'll take the rain check on that on for New Years."

"Okay, I'll floo you for the details later… The healer is telling me I can go in now, so I'll leave you to your explanation and go meet my second daughter."

Ron's head disappeared and Harry turned to Kurt who was still staring at the fireplace in shock. "Kurt, look at me," he said gently.

As if in trance, Kurt turned to Harry with his wide eyes.

"Umm… magic's real?" offered Harry with a nervous smile. "And I'm a wizard?"

Kurt took a deep breath and smiled. "That explains so many things," he said and fainted.

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Kurt was sixteen when he found out what Harry was researching. Of course, at the time his father was lying unconscious in the hospital a little away from them and hadn't really paid attention.

Kurt had been at the hospital for hours already with Mr. Schue and Miss Pillsbury when Harry arrived. When Kurt saw Harry, the normally composed young man threw his arms around Harry's neck, like when he was little, and broke down. Harry, still taller than Kurt, just picked the distraught teen up and let him cry on his shoulder, ignoring the two teachers for now.

"I came as soon as I got your message, Kurtie," Harry told the crying teen. "But you know how I am when I'm reading. I'm sorry I couldn't be here sooner. But I took out your futon so that you don't have to stay home alone, okay? You don't have to face this alone."

"Th-the la-ast th-thing he t-told me wa-as th-that he was dis-disa-pointed i-in me wh-when I told him I-I couldn't-t make it to-o dinner th-this evening-ing," Kurt said between his sobs. "I-I don't wa-ant it to be-e my la-ast memo-ry of him!"

"It won't be," Harry said with conviction. "Just like your voice. You didn't want it to change and you still have the most beautiful voice I've ever heard. If you don't want Burt to die, you just have to believe he won't. Remember, belief is the key."

Kurt smiled at the familiar words. Harry had explained magic to him when he was fourteen and had empathized the fact that belief was the key to any magic.

"And do you know what helps?" continued Harry as he looked down at Kurt. "That you love him. Love is a powerful thing. I've been researching love for over ten years and still have barely scratched the surface but the things love does are amazing. While it can't bring anyone back from the dead, it can stop someone from dying." He leaned his forehead against Kurt's who was looking at him hopefully. "You just have to keep reminding him of the things he'll miss if he doesn't wake up. Like your first boyfriend and your wedding. You probably know that New York is pushing for legalized gay marriage. And your high school graduation. And you going to college. And your first child, his first grandchild. And your debut either in the fashion world or on Broadway. And all the family moments that are the reason for most people for living. I don't think he'll want to give them up but sometimes the way might seem too harsh and too long without reminders. Talk to him even if he's unconscious. Subconsciously he'll still hear you."

Kurt was smiling tearfully at Harry. "Thanks, I needed that."

"Any time Kurtie, you know it. And I mean any time and about anything, you're always welcome to talk with me," Harry answered sincerely. "You are important to both your dad and I and I know Burt would want you to be taken care of while he's preoccupied so I'm doing exactly that." He glanced up at the two teachers who both seemed surprised by Kurt's display of emotion. "Now, why don't you introduce me to your teachers?"

Kurt blinked a few times before turning to his teachers who had come with him from school. Embarrassed, he turned and hid his face in Harry's neck. "That's Mr. Schue and Miss Pillsbury."

"Ah, your Glee director and your guidance counselor, right?" Harry asked for confirmation from the teachers who nodded. "I'm Harry Potter, Kurt's neighbor. I would shake your hands but I have my hands full with this teenager," he grinned.

Mr. Schuester chuckled, catching the double meaning. "Nice to meet you Harry, I'm Will Schuester and this is Emma Pillsbury."

"Pleasure."

Later, when everyone was pestering Kurt about religion and God, he smiled inwardly, knowing everyone of them was wrong, because it wasn't an almighty old man who created the world. No, it was something even more unbelievable and Kurt knew. Magic had been existing always after all. And it had wanted someone to play with, not some rag doll it could make do anything.

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The first time Harry met Blaine was at the Night of Neglect which he had come to see from Kurt's plea. They met at the parking lot and he earned Blaine's immediate attention when Kurt promptly hugged him.

"Hey Kurtie Birdie," grinned Harry. "How's my favorite teenager?"

"I'm fine Harry," answered Kurt as he detangled himself from his oldest friend. "In fact, I'm better than okay. This is Blaine, my boyfriend," he gestured to the shorter boy.

"How do you do."

"Blaine, this is my…" Kurt turned to look at Harry, unsure what to call him since he wasn't Harry's neighbor anymore.

"Oldest friend, live Ken-doll, ex-neighbor, the dude he comes crying when something doesn't go the way he wants it to…" listed Harry playfully and extended his hand to shake Blaine's.

"You forgot mad scientist, well connected and filthy rich," added Kurt.

"I'm not a mad scientist," protested Harry as the trio started to make their way to the school. "I'm an insane scientist. Mad scientists create evil things. My inventions are eccentric but never evil, therefore I'm not mad but rather insane. And I happen to enjoy every minute of it."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Ignore him, he's mad," he said to Blaine.

"Are you sure you want to annoy me right now? I can tell your boyfriend all the embarrassing stories you'd want to forget," teased Harry. "Like the first time I met you."

"Shut up Harry!" squeaked Kurt, blushing.

"I don't think I will," laughed Harry. "So Kurt and his mom had come to welcome me to the neighborhood as I'd just moved here from London. My friend Ron opened the door for them and led them to the kitchen. I'd been unpacking up stairs and heard talking which made me curious. So I go to the kitchen, just in time to hear Kurt promise to make sure I eat, because at the time I was rather forgetful to my own mortality. Then when Kurt saw me, he announced to us that he was going to take care of me from now on and that he was going to clean me up and then teach me how to dress and then we were going to have a tea party. I have never met any other five year old who was quite as pushy as Kurtie was at that age. Teddy was a close second but I think that's Kurt's influence since at ten he was even more pushy and Teddy was at such an impressionable age… Teddy's my oldest Godson who lives in England with his grandmother Andromeda."

"That's Andromeda Tonks, the fantasy author," added Kurt, ignoring the saucy grin Blaine directed at him. "Harry's best friends are Ron and Hermione Weasley, of WT Inc. and the human rights fighter. He's also friends with Draco Malfoy, Luna Lovegood, Lavender Brown, Terry Boot and Susan Bones."

Harry scratched his nose. "I'm not sure I would call Draco Malfoy a friend… it's more of a mutual useful acquaintance. We both benefit from knowing each other."

"Dude…" breathed Blaine with wide eyes. "Is there anyone you don't know, the President?"

"Actually," Harry frowned. "I've met Mr. President a few times. We're not close or anything, he's my friend Kingsley's second cousin and we met at Kingsley's wedding. Of course, this was before Obama was the President so I don't know if that counts…"

"Kurt… your friend's scary," mock whispered Blaine with a teasing grin and they entered the school.

"Kurt, where's the auditorium? I think you want to show Blaine around just the two of you," Harry said with a wink."

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The first time Kurt thought he wouldn't see Harry for a week, he wasn't sure what to feel. Since he was five Harry had been a constant in his life: when his mother died, when his dad was in the hospital… through the bullying in school. And now he wouldn't see him for a week.

Or so he thought until he saw Harry in the audience with two thumbs up and a cheerful grin on his face, sitting next an Indian woman and Draco Malfoy. When every show choir had performed, Kurt sought them out.

"Harry!" he shouted and gave Harry a brief hug. "Hey Mr. Malfoy."

"You were great Kurt, even if your voice was hardly distinguishable from your friends'," Draco Malfoy answered with a slight smile.

"Kurt, this is Parvati Patil, she works as a director on Broadway," Harry introduced the Indian woman. "Parvati, this is my friend Kurt Hummel."

"Hello Kurt, it's nice to finally put a face to a name," Parvati greeted Kurt. "Harry has told me so much of you it feels like I'm meeting a friend I haven't seen in a long while."

"The pleasure's all mine Ms. Patil," Kurt answered with a smile.

"So, I heard from one of the guards of my theater that a pair of teenagers broke into the theater and sang on the stage. According to Moe they were very good. Do you know anything about this?" asked Parvati mischievously.

Kurt blushed. "That was Rachel, the girl who sang in the duet, and I. She felt like she needed to make the choice between love and career and my advice was to imagine both options. Which is easier if you know what to imagine, so we sang a duet on a real Broadway stage."

"In that case I'll have no problem having you in one of my future productions," smiled Parvati. "Moe has been a guard for who knows how long and knows what he's talking about. If he says you were good, then I have no doubt that you were phenomenal."

"Rachel will be pleased to hear that," grimaced Kurt, knowing that if she ever heard that tidbit of information, there would be no stopping her.

"By the way Kurt," Harry said suddenly, as though he just remembered something. "You're not going back to Lima when you friends are. I talked with Burt and he agreed to let you take a week off and explore the city more thoroughly."

"Wait, what?" cried a voice behind Kurt. "Who are you to make such decisions?"

It was Mercedes along with Kurt's other friends.

"Hey Harry!" cried Finn enthusiastically. "What are you doing here? I thought you couldn't make it?"

"Well, originally I didn't have a ticket to the competition," grinned Harry, "but then Parvati called me to escort her and Draco. And would I really have let my Kurtie Birdie go to New York without me?" he joked and pulled a blushing Kurt into a one armed hug. "And then I wanted to surprise you."

Kurt fought to get out of the hug. "Harry you jerk! I thought I wouldn't see you for a whole week! I didn't know how to feel! And then you turn up in the competition with Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Patil, both of who hear the world's leading performers all the time!" He got out from under Harry's arm and turned on him and to everyone's surprise gave him another hug.

"Finn, who is he?" asked Rachel.

Finn frowned a little. "I can never remember his full title…"

"He's Lord Harry Potter-Black, Duke of Cornwall and Count of Essex," answered Draco drolly with a roll of his eyes. "One of the world's richest people."

"How rich?" Puck wanted to know.

"His liquid assets are around thirty billion British pounds, that's around forty-seven billion dollars," answered Draco. "And that doesn't include his share holds and estates."

"Draco's my financial adviser," Harry answered the silent question. "And I don't need that money. I try to give as much of it to charities as possible but I never seem to exceed my income," he added, sounding slightly put off.

"And you live in Ohio?" asked a disbelieving Quinn.

"It was just a house to stay in for max. six months but then I met Kurtie Birdie and I just couldn't leave him," Harry defended himself. His reason, though, got a few curious glances from both Draco and Parvati, knowing there was something more to the story.

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When Kurt moved away to New York to go to college, he didn't know why Harry stayed in Lima. After all, their whole relationship Harry had told him he was the reason he stayed in Lima all at. When he asked, Harry just smiled a little sadly and said that he stayed because Kurt needed to see the world without him there taking care of him. _And_, Harry added in his thoughts, _someone wise once said that you have to let your love go and see if it returns to you. If it does, it was always yours. If it doesn't, it was never yours in the first place_.

So, with a heavy heart Kurt left behind both his best friend and his boyfriend and for some reason, the first felt a lot worse. Skyping with Blaine wasn't the same thing when they could never see face to face and truth be told, Kurt missed sex. Emailing with Harry wasn't the same thing as the lengthy discussions they always had during dinner or in the evenings. And Kurt missed Harry's hugs and his smell and the feel of his presence. The only thing that gave him comfort during his missing-Harry –episodes was a faded green bowtie that Harry gave him for his sixth birthday*.

It came as no surprise when Blaine broke up with Kurt during Christmas (okay, it was after Christmas and before New Year…), saying that the long distance thing just wasn't working and hoping they could become friends again when he moved to New York too… five years later as he'd applied to UCLA. Kurt had answered that they could start emailing again in the summer and get to know each other all over again. With a smile he saw Blaine to the door but when he was certain Blaine was gone, he put on his shoes and ran to Harry's, forgetting his jacket and the half-a-mile that was between their houses. He spent the rest of the day curled up on Harry's couch, crying his eyes out and Harry petting his hair, not saying any petty platitudes. When Kurt was out of tears for now, Harry told him to call his father, clean up himself, change to more comfortable clothes and then they would watch both tearjerkers and romantic comedies all through the night while eating ice cream.

_This is why I love Harry_, thought Kurt as he headed to Harry's home phone. _He gets me, always has. I mean, what kind of eighteen-year-old lets a five-year-old dress him? And then plays… no, has a tea party with said five-year-old?_ That thought made him stop. Harry never acted like that with any other kid, just himself… and his godchildren but he was obligated to do that… And he'd been in a good place when he met Harry. He could have understood if he'd gotten such a reaction from someone when his mom died, dead relatives always inspire pity, but Harry had befriended him out of the blue. And his own reaction to Harry… He had wanted to take care of Harry. And still did, in fact. He was the reason Harry ate his vegetables… or he had been when he was in Lima… He was the reason Harry remembered to eat at all… when he was there to make Harry the food… he'd have to check for takeaway containers…

Harry's words had come true… they had taken care of each other. But now Kurt was shrinking in his duties… and he didn't like it! It made his insides feel itchy. And just taking care of Harry didn't feel like it was enough. He wanted more. And Harry deserved more.

As he talked with his dad, explaining how he was going to stay at Harry's for the rest of his holiday, his eyes scanned the bookcase on one side of the living room and a book title caught his eye. "Magical relationships vs. mundane relationships" by Alma Bond. Harry was magical, maybe his magic was somehow affecting their relationship? When the phone conversation with his dad ended, he went over to the bookcase and he pulled it out. "Harry, can I borrow one of your books?" he shouted as he made his way upstairs to the shower.

"Sure, just remember, they're all charmed to return to their rightful places after two weeks," Harry answered from Kurt's room where he was changing Kurt's sheets.

"Of course," said Kurt and took a towel and his pajamas from his closet…

That was another thing. He had some of his things over at Harry's place and even had his own room. They were almost living together… or had been living together before Kurt went to New York. Of course Kurt still lived at home mostly… but according to Big Bang Theory, he had moved in with Harry… during that two week vacation his dad had when he was ten (his grandfather had died so it wasn't actually a vacation…)… and he continually slept over at Harry's nine nights in a three week period… and weekends was a given… when he didn't have sleepovers with his girls… or Blaine…

The thought of Blaine brought new tears to Kurt's eyes since he was never going to spend another night just cuddling with him anymore…

When Kurt woke next day, his head was resting on Harry's chest. Harry had his arms around him in a way that made Kurt blush as it was the way lovers often held each other. The TV was playing Titanic's DVD selection scene over and over again, filling the living room with gentle music. Detangling himself from Harry gently, he went to the kitchen to make coffee for them. He knew it was what he normally did but that day he was single for the first time in almost two years and he was free to think whatever he wanted.

Unbidden, an image of him doing this every morning for the rest of his life, surfaced. Of course, normally he would have his robe over his pajamas rather than a duvet slung over a faded T-shirt and sweatpants, but he would have woken up in Harry's embrace and padded to their kitchen to prepare them their morning coffee. As soon as the coffee would be done, Harry would follow it's aroma to the kitchen and wrap his arms around Kurt sleepily and kiss his neck. Kurt would turn around with Harry's coffee and send him to sit at the table as he finished making breakfast. After his first cup, Harry would get the paper and they both would read it, sometimes reading something funny or weird out loud to each other. Then Harry would wake the kids while Kurt made their breakfast…

A blush covered Kurt's face. He shouldn't be thinking such things about his best friend. Harry probably saw him as a little kid anyway. There was no way that particular day dream would come true. Even if, Kurt now realized, it had been what he had wanted all along. He had just tried to replace Harry with Blaine but it had never really worked as Blaine was shorter than Kurt.

Sitting down at the table with his coffee, Kurt looked at the kitchen with new eyes. It had changed so much since he was five. Back then the fridge had been covered in his drawings and a photo of Ron and Hermione and a photo of Teddy. Now the fridge held pictures of Harry and him, Harry's godchildren Teddy, Rose, Hugo, Lily Luna, James Sirius and Albus Colin, a picture of Harry, Ron and Hermione from when they were teenagers, a picture of Harry's parents and their friends which had had a piece ripped off* and the very first picture Kurt had given Harry. The walls had been a pale yellow which Kurt had disliked and had later helped Harry choose a better color for the kitchen walls which were now a beautiful midnight blue that accented the creamy cabinets. The kitchen table had been a small metallic breakfast table seating only one but had later changed to a round, wooden table which wasn't matchy-matchy with the cabinets but still went well with them. The vase in the middle of the table was a pale blue, filled with bright pink flowers, kept fresh by a nifty charm. That vase was in memory of Remus and Tonks Lupin, Teddy's parents who had died before Harry had moved to Lima. The vase was apparently the color of Mr. Lupin's eyes and the pink of the flowers was what Mrs. Lupin's hair was often dyed.

The house was actually full of those small altars for Harry's deceased friends and family. There was a ferocious black dog sculpture in the hallway, for Harry's Godfather Sirius Black. There was a vase full of lilies in Harry's bedroom, for Harry's mother. The library was full of weird knick knacks for Harry's mentor Albus Dumbledore. The library also contained Harry's alcohol preserved animal parts in honor of Severus Snape. There was an unused perch in the corner of Harry's room for Harry's dead pet owl Hedwig. As for Harry's father, Kurt had once asked, the whole house was apparently his design. And from what Kurt had heard from Harry about his father, he could understand why the house was so complicated. For example, you couldn't walk through any of the floors but you had to take the stairs either up or down to get to the eastern side of the house from the western and it didn't have stairs for the attic but you had to climb up a pole. It also had many nooks and crannies to hide in and a few secret passages that Kurt knew of.

Kurt smiled. He could easily imagine living in a house like Harry's for the rest of his life… it hadn't been in Lima. On the outskirts of New York or LA or Chicago, yes, but not in Lima… But then again, Harry had magic, he could probably even move the house if he wanted to.

And there he went again, thinking of marrying Harry. Was it wrong that he could easily see himself doing it? Living with Harry in New York, getting married, raising a family together… seeing their children go to school… growing old and gray with Harry.

Then he recalled what Harry had said when he asked why Harry didn't move to New York with him. _"You have to learn what you want with your life and you can't do that if I'm there all the time, messing with your views of life by either smothering you or easing your way which is what I would do if I was there. So, for your sake I'll stay here until you know what you want."_ Kurt remembered Harry's face when he said that. He had such a sad smile on his face and the longing in his eyes made Kurt want to cling to him and never let go. He never would let go. Harry had lost too many people already…

Suddenly he straightened. He… was in love… with Harry… but he didn't even know if Harry loved him… and he wasn't ready for a new relationship, having broken up with Blaine less than twenty-four hours ago… and he still had his studies in New York and Harry still lived in Lima. He didn't want to risk another long distance relationship, especially with Harry, even if Harry could pop from place to place in a blink of an eye. He would finish University and continue to love Harry from afar until then.

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Back in New York and in his dorm, Kurt flipped through the book he'd borrowed from Harry and paused at an interesting title: _Soul mates_. The subtitle was: _How to recognize them._

Intrigued, Kurt read forward. The book explained that wizards and witches could recognize their soul mates after their maturity at seventeen. If they met them before, they would feel a pull to them but wouldn't understand what it was and it would take them longer to recognize the fact that they were soul mates when they were seventeen*. In the event a witch or wizard's soul mate was a muggle, the muggle would be over a decade younger as wizards and witches aged slower and had longer life spans. If a wizard or witch met their muggle soul mate who was still a child, they would stick around and wait for them to grow up, helping them when they could but avoiding from intentionally manipulating them into liking themselves. Muggles, on the other hand, might feel a pull towards their magical soul mate but could form a relationship with someone else which was impossible for a witch or wizard who had found their soul mate.

The book continued on detailing different aspects of the soul mates possible relationships but Kurt was too distracted by his thoughts. The book detailed his and Harry's relationship exactly, like the writer had been there to witness it, which Kurt knew couldn't be as the book had been printed in the 70's.

He, Kurt, was Harry's, Harry Potter's, soul mate. It explained so much about their relationship, why Harry had let a five-year-old dress him and held a tea party with him… why Kurt wanted to take care of Harry… why Kurt felt so much more comfortable with Harry than anyone else… why Kurt missed Harry more than Blaine or his other friends or even his family… why Harry gave him the opportunity live his life with someone else…

He rolled over in his bed and a smile stretched across his face. He now knew Harry loved him. Nothing had felt better than knowing this.

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At thirty, Kurt had what he wanted.

His slipper covered feet padded to the kitchen to make coffee for him and his husband and begin breakfast. When he had his husband's coffee ready, he heard his husband's quiet footfalls behind him, felt arms around his middle and lips pressed to his neck. He turned around and presented the coffee to his husband who thanked him with a quick kiss, ignoring their morning breaths, and walked to sit at the kitchen table.

The normal morning silence was broken when Kurt heard his husband speak.

"Do you know why I wake up in the mornings?"

"You smell the coffee?" suggested Kurt jokingly.

"No," his husband shook his head. "It's because I can't sleep without you in my arms."

Kurt blushed and turned to look into his husband's green eyes. "I can't sleep anywhere but in your arms either, Harry."

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* Kurt's mom told him biblical stories as bedtime stories among the usual fairytales.  
* Harry enchanted it to show him how and where Kurt was when near the bowtie.  
* Kurt has become slightly sensitive to Harry's magic over the years. Not that he knows it…  
* Wormtail…  
* That's what happened in Ron and Hermione's case. They didn't know why they felt the pull towards each other and so didn't know how to act, leading to numerous fights. This also happened with James and Lily but because James had magical parents and was too curious and bold for his age, asked about the pull and found out sooner than was conventional. Which is the reason he asked Lily on dates all through Hogwarts and Lily, who had no idea, kept refusing him.


	15. Blogger

A/N: Hi! You know what? I don't have anything to complain about this time! :)

I haven't read a fic where in which Harry is trying to better the muggle world without somehow mixing magic and technology. For a long time I've had an idea about an environmentalist!Harry but I just can't seem to write it right. So this is kind of a shout out for that idea… (You like the idea of an environmentalist!Harry, write it and tell me! I'll read!) Then I got into re-watching BBC Sherlock and got the idea: what it Harry would blog? Then came the problem: what does Harry know well enough to blog about? Bullying. And that was when this became a crossover :)

The end was inspired by Relient K's The Best Thing… Also, I had a longer version of the ending but it turned into Harry/Kurt/Blaine… so I cut it off…

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Using a computer was natural when the TV cable had been taken away by the Dursleys. According to them, Harry was too stupid to operate the computer and had thus left it untouched. Harry though knew differently. He was anything but stupid. And he'd seen Dudley (who actually was stupid) use it and had even used one in the school library.

So, as soon as the Dursleys' car was gone from Privet Drive, Harry skipped up stairs and into Dudley's second bedroom where Dudley's computer was held. Aunt Petunia thought the computer used up all the air in the room and thus wouldn't let her Diddimums sleep in the same room. Harry snorted at the thought as he turned the machine on. Dudley wouldn't sleep if he had a computer in his room. Instead he'd be blowing up those stupid aliens in one of his games. The stupid Neanderthal…

It took a few minutes for the computer to start up but when it did, Harry quickly looked if Dudley had something new on it. This wasn't the first time Harry was on this particular computer after all, the Dursleys left him home alone all the time. When nothing _interesting_ came up, Harry went back to his project he'd been working on for the last six months. He knew he wasn't the only one in the world who was being bullied or had a bad home situation and he wanted to get in touch with those people. Which is why he'd been working on a blog slash chat room website where troubled kids could connect with other troubled kids and learn from each other. For example he was working on it with a tween from Florida who's mother was an alcoholic and who'd never met his father. And he'd learned much from Andy. He now knew how to recognize an alcoholic who tried to hide it. And Vernon was quickly closing in on becoming an alcoholic… There was also Mia from Pasadena who was fifteen and pregnant. She was working on the actual design of the website: how it would look, which link would lead where, things like that. The three of them could only work on their shared project sporadically because of their situations so they understood if someone was late with something but soon they should be able to launch it.

The thought made Harry smile. Soon enough he'd be making a change in someone else's life and hopefully for the better…

And their website soared as soon as they got it online. Each of them had a blog of their own on the site and though Harry couldn't update his as often as Andy and Mia, his was just as popular as theirs. The chat rooms (one for abusive parents, one for physical bullying, one for mental bullying, one for substance abuse, dealing with a loved one's death, etc.) were overflowing with tales resembling theirs and deviating from them always in some way. Some just needed to tell someone, some asked for advice and some needed to see they weren't alone but everyone was grateful for the website and the three anonymous bloggers who started the whole thing. Of course there were the occasional hater and/or bully who found the website but they couldn't comment unless they signed up and it they still made hateful comments, the account was deleted. Never let it be said that Harry didn't take care of those that he could. And he took particular care to respond to Blanderson's comments because the kid was two years younger than himself even. The kid was a hoot though.

It was a few years later, during the summer before Harry's third year at Hogwarts, that a K_E_Hummel signed up on the page. According to the information he gave when he signed up he was a male and twelve and in his profile proclaimed himself gay even if it wasn't required. Harry had no idea how someone so young knew their sexual orientation as he himself was just beginning to notice these things (not much but he thought the girl across the street was cute so that had to mean something). Anyway, they started chatting whenever they could and soon exchanged email addresses. Harry was more than happy to get to know Kurt (which turned out to be K_E_Hummel's name) and while they didn't have many same interests, they both loved the Beatles. When Harry had to go back to Hogwarts, not being able to email Kurt was one of his regrets.

This prompted Harry to study magic's reactions to electricity and found that they were two different energies unable to work together, much like light and sugar. That didn't deter Harry since there were mentions in the library about elemental magic which meant magic could control electricity. Getting electricity to act like Harry wanted was the problem. Even the most accomplished wizards had trouble controlling electricity since it was so unpredictable. Eventually Harry let it be since he realized he didn't know enough about magic to actually do anything about it but saved his notes for the future.

The return to the Dursleys was always bittersweet. There he had access to a computer and the internet but he'd also have to deal with the Dursleys. That summer was better than any before since he'd "accidentally" let it slip that Sirius Black was his godfather and that he wouldn't be pleased if Harry was unhappy. He even implied Sirius might come to Privet Drive to deal with them himself if Harry didn't answer his letters. He just left out that Sirius dealing with them would most likely mean amusing (to an outsider) curses (hair loss, pants dropping unexpectedly, things disappearing, etc.) rather than the Dursleys' death.

Reconnecting with Kurt was somewhat slower than Harry'd hoped but they still pulled it through after Harry explained why he hadn't emailed in nine months. Kurt (whom Harry told the whole story while censoring magic) sympathized with Harry and then told of his own year. Soon they were where they had been before Harry'd returned to Hogwarts last year.

The pattern continued until the evening of Harry's seventeenth birthday when he sent the following email:

_My dearest Kurt,_

_Eight years ago I started _Beaten but not alone _as a way to help troubled kids. I had hoped I could change someone's life for the better but I never expected to meet someone like you. Someone who would change my life for the better. These past four and a half summers have been the best times of my life (even if I had to deal with the Dursleys)._

_I know not to tell "Don't worry" because you'll worry anyway. And I can't promise "I'll be back" because I don't want to break a promise to you. So I'll simply say "Live Long and Prosper" and "Look to the Horizon for my arrival". When I can, I'll email and when this is all over, I'll come to meet you finally face-to-face. I just hope you will not have forgotten me by then. Just so you know, if I happen to die, I've left some of my money for you to live your dream._

_I have one last thing to address before leaving, however, and that is the one of my feelings. Over the years I have come to love you Kurt, more than anything in my life. You have been my friend through the toughest of times and the light I've been looking forward to when things have seemed bleak. The next year is looking bleaker than any before and therefore will keep the hope of meeting you close to my heart. I'm not asking you to wait for me, like Penelope waited for Odysseus, but rather not to turn me away when we meet._

_Eternally yours in love,_

_Harry_

A tear slid down his cheek as Harry sent the email, knowing he wouldn't be able to hear from Kurt for many months, maybe even years. Not until Voldemort was dead. And then it might take some time with the aftermath; securing Death Eaters, witnessing at trials, rebuilding… recovering… Meeting Kurt would be the perfect prize for him. Then again, Kurt might even have a boyfriend by then.

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It took Harry fifteen months to kill gather the horcruxes, kill Voldemort, gather the fleeing Death eaters, make sure they all got fair trails and start to rebuild the wizarding Britain. During that time he didn't have time to wander into the muggle world to check his email, let alone travel to Ohio to meet Kurt. Then came November and the world was almost right and Harry wasn't needed 24/7. That was when he announced his intentions to take a vacation of indefinite length during which he'd recover, reconnect with Kurt and hopefully make the divo his boyfriend.

Hermione and Ron, neither of which had gone back to Hogwarts for their "eighth" year, were adamant to come with him and see a part of his life that they hadn't before. Harry simply sighed and smiled as he accepted their company for his journey.

The first thing they did was get Harry a computer of his own (and internet connection and a TV and a cell phone and a camera) to make reconnecting with Kurt easier.

Harry really didn't need to worry. Kurt had been emailing him regularly since Harry's last email, telling him what ever had happened in his life and the lives of New Directions. During the winter Harry had been hunting horcruxes Kurt had written about a boy named Blaine who he'd been attracted to because of his superficial resemblance to Harry. Before regionals Blaine had apparently kissed Kurt and said that he'd like to get together with Kurt but Kurt wrote that he'd answered that he was in love with someone else. Apparently Blaine had taken it like a man and they were still friends and if Kurt caught him looking at him longingly, he never said anything to anyone else but Harry.

Harry would have sighed in relief if it hadn't been for the fact that Kurt wrote he himself was in love with someone and never wrote with whom. That tormented Harry as he read about Sebastian trying to seduce Blaine (who'd transferred to McKinley in the beginning of the current school year to "get ready for the real world") who kept refusing and telling Kurt Sebastian made him uncomfortable ("_Of course_," Kurt wrote, "_it has nothing to do with the fact that he still wants to be with me. Harry, I wish you were here, or, well, at least there, and you'd be able to give me advice…_").

In mid November Harry wrote his first email in fifteen months and told Kurt how he was alive, how Voldemort (or "_that Tom Riddle guy who's been trying to kill me since I was one_") was dead, how he, Ron and Hermione were going to come to Lima to meet him and about how he'd gone over his inheritance and found out about his pent house in New York. Hermione and Ron had raised their eyebrows at that as they read over Harry's shoulder but didn't bother to comment on it. Harry did things like that, things that didn't make sense all at the time he did them but had a very clear reason afterwards. They also didn't comment on the fact that Harry bought them a house in Lima for their time there.

So the arrangements were made, visas requested and granted, money exchanged, plain tickets bought and goodbyes exchanged and the Golden trio was on it's way to Ohio.

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Harry, Ron and Hermione were wandering around Lima, wanting to get to know their current surrounding territory, just in case of an attack. That was the real reason but the official reason was that they were looking for a good café when Hermione pointed to the Lima Bean.

"We could start there? Didn't Kurt mention it in his emails?" she inquired Harry with a tilt of her head.

"Yes, he did," answered Harry, remembering a particular email in which Kurt described Blaine, Rachel, Mercedes and his meeting. "Apparently it serves a very good grande non fat mocha."

"I can't believe you remember the bloke's coffee order," groaned Ron playfully as they entered the half empty café. There was a boy with gelled hair at the register and a couple of other customers enjoying their beverages randomly placed around the café.

The gel headed boy got his coffee so that the trio got to place their orders (a chai latte for Hermione, a grande non fat mocha for Harry and a simple (or so Ron believed) hot chocolate for Ron). Harry insisted on paying since the other two wouldn't even be in Ohio if it wasn't for him and when they got their chosen drinks, they went in search of a table.

That was when Harry saw him. There was no mistaking that hair or that profile. "Kurt!" he yelped loudly in surprise, attracting the attention from the three boys who were immersed in their conversation.

When Kurt Hummel turned and saw Harry (so much like the photo attached to his latest email) his mouth fell open for a second before he grinned and sprinted to his friend. He threw his arms around Harry's neck and planted his lips to Harry's.

For a few seconds Harry froze under the assault but then he thrust his coffee to Hermione, wrapped his arms around Kurt and kissed the younger teen back.

As the kiss ended and Harry lowered Kurt back to the ground and cupped his beautifully blushing face. "Nice to meet you, I'm your other half."

"Hello other half," answered Kurt. "I've been waiting for you my whole life."


	16. Secretary

A/N: God… I can't believe how cheesy this turned out… This was supposed to be an office romance but Harry and Kurt didn't cooperate with me!

Anyway, this was inspired by the last month which I've worked as a secretary. Most of the work was actually done via email and phone and electronic calendar. Sure I had to scan a couple of documents for my boss but that was basically all the work that had to be done at the office. Had I been given a laptop with the right settings, I could have done it anywhere. On a good day I would see my boss a couple time a day and on not so good days I would see him once or not at all… :S Don't know whether to be happy or sad about it…

Seventeen reviews for the last chapter! OMG! People! I thought it was one of my more boring ones!

(Can't wait for the next Glee episode! Prom-a-saurus indeed!)

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Kurt liked his job well enough. The hours were flexible and the pay was around double that of Rachel's (including tips and she waited tables six nights a week). And the work didn't take much to do: he just needed the iPad his employer had given him for it. Of course he needed to learn to use a couple of programs to effectively do his job but having grown up in the late 90's, early 2000's, it wasn't a problem.

Sure, he didn't intend to be a secretary for the rest of his life but it was better than most of his class mates did. The best part of the job was that he could hold his job until he was done studying at NYADA (up to his PhD if he so wanted). He could even work whenever he liked as long as he got his tasks done on time (and he didn't have to stop for summer vacation since most of it was done via email and internet).

The only thing he didn't like about his job was that he hadn't met his employer face-to-face (or seen a picture of him), ever. Even his job interview had been done by Professor Harold Potter's last secretary who had graduated the spring before (Ben had been nice but he had warned that Professor Potter was an incredibly busy man and that Kurt wasn't likely to see him often if at all).

So Kurt did his job, scheduled meetings for Professor Potter, arranged his schedule (and remembering that Professor Potter was human and took at least half an hour around noon for Professor Potter to eat), made sure there was no overlapping in his calendar, reserved locations for said meetings and chatted with other secretaries about their bosses' quirks.

To tell the truth, he really wasn't sure what to expect from Professor Potter when the email came two weeks before the fall term began. Professor Potter wanted to schedule them a meeting and talk about how Kurt felt his job could be improved, how he felt he had improved during his employment, etc. He assured Kurt it could be done over lunch or dinner if he wanted and that the University would be paying for it (there was no actual limit for the meeting, money vise, but Professor Potter apparently didn't like formal dinners…).

When Kurt entered the restaurant he told the hostess he'd reserved a privet booth for Professor Potter and himself and could someone please show him there, using his best demanding yet polite voice (it had taken him years of practice but it was one of his best weapons when dealing with a new situation). The hostess told him Professor Potter had already arrived and signaled for a waiter to show him to the booth.

Kurt swallowed nervously. The man he was being led to was the reason he could afford his newest scarf and the reason he could still eat organic stuff. Would he be an old man, needing Kurt to shout everything? Or would he be a middle aged man with a wife and a couple of kids he never saw because he was always so busy? Would he be dressed in a tweed suit? Would he have glasses and melasma? Would he be balding or would he have crazy Einstein hair?

The man sitting in the booth he was led to wasn't anything he'd expected.

Firstly, Professor Potter was young, barely thirty if even that, maybe twenty-eight would be a better estimate. He had black hair so much like Blaine's when he hadn't gelled it down, expect shorter from everywhere else but his bangs covered his forehead. Startlingly green eyes stared up at him and thin but pink lips were stretched into a friendly smile. Kurt would estimate the man to be a couple of inches taller than himself and he clearly was more toned than him, not that Kurt minded. Professor Potter's hands (quite large, mind you, Kurt noted in the back of his mind) rested easily on the table.

"Good to finally meet you face-to-face, Kurt," Professor Potter said and rose to shake hands with Kurt. The handshake was unexpected to Kurt (who shook hands these days?) but the shake was firm and Professor Potter smiled. "God handshake, I like that in a man, tells me the man isn't disinterested, a coward or a brownnoser."

Now was Kurt's turn to smile. "My dad always said you can trust a man with a firm handshake as long as he only used one hand. If he used two, he would either be controlling or needed to seem strong when he is in fact about to break his deal with you. Also, the second hand would be in a perfect place for quick murder… Sorry, I'm rambling," he blushed as he sat down and looked at the table.

Professor Potter laughed. "It's quite okay, I used to ramble in front of people all the time but it's something you can grow out of."

"Good to know, because I really have no control over my mouth when I ramble. Sometimes I start to ramble on and on about Lady Gaga's newest album or my classes or Rachel's wardrobe which I still should burn. It's a crime against people everywhere, those animal sweaters of hers are horrible not to mention knee socks and plaid skirts," Kurt rambled on about Rachel's horrible fashion choices and Professor Potter just smiled at him, like he was amused by Kurt's ramblings. "If I bore you, you can just tell me to shut up because I really can go on forever Professor Potter."

"Harry, please," interjected Professor Potter. "Call me Harry."

Kurt blinked a few times. "Sure thing Harry."

"Tell me about yourself," said Harry as he picked up his menu. "Where are you from? What about your family? Any siblings? Boyfriend? How you're liking New York so far?"

"Well, my whole name's Kurt Elizabeth Hummel and I'm twenty and going to my second year at NYADA in the fall. Originally I'm from Lima, Ohio and I left behind my dad and step mom. Currently I'm living with my brother and sister-in-law, Finn and Rachel Hudson. I've had one boyfriend, Blaine, and we broke up when I came to New York because he's a year younger than I am and he had to stay in Lima for another year and we didn't want to try a long distance relationship. I'm liking New York very much and have no plans of moving out of the city after I graduate." Kurt took a deep breath after he explained all that quickly. He took a sip from his water to moisten his throat.

"You have almost as big lungs as my friend Hermione," Harry chuckled. "When I met her, she talked for about thirty seconds very fast and in one breath. She was eleven then and her lungs have only grown since. Fortunately I don't have to listen to her and Ron's shouting matches anymore now that they're married but school was hell because both of them have explosive tempers that can simmer for a surprisingly long time. When we were thirteen, Hermione's cat seemed to have killed Ron's rat in November and they didn't properly reconcile until spring. Anyway, Ron and Hermione are my best friends and their daughter Rose is my Goddaughter. My Godson Teddy lives with me because his parents were killed when I was seventeen and Teddy had just been born… I'm originally from Godric's Hollow in England but when my parents died I was left with my mother's sister in Little Whinging in Surry. My school was in Scottish highlands and I studied in University in London. Then I came here. Umm… I've just turned twenty-nine… Merlin, I'm almost thirty! …Umm… I've had three girlfriends and one boyfriend which kind of cemented my sexuality as gay. The three girlfriends I'd had before had all ended badly when the girl became a little too dependent. Don't get me wrong, I like to spoil my partners and I like to be wanted and needed but when they began to require me to tell them where I was for the evening or they cut into my study time, it just couldn't carry on. Brian really was the perfect first boyfriend but then he went and enlisted in the army. Six months later he got shot… What else… Ah! I hope to have a big family one day and a fortune teller once told me I'd have a dozen kids but I'd be more than happy with five, maybe seven, kids."

Kurt had listened with wide eyes. Being compared to a friend was a good thing, right? Being told important facts of his life was a good thing, wasn't it? "I'm sorry for your losses," he finally choked out.

"Yeah, but that was a long time ago," shrugged Harry. "And if you're talking about Brian… well, people die in wars, I've come to accept it. Hopefully I'll find someone in the next five to ten years and get married so that I still have some energy left for the kids…"

The wistful smile on Harry's face made Kurt's heart pound and suddenly he hoped he was the man Harry would share his future with which was bizarre as he didn't even properly know the man. And last he'd checked, Blaine had been the only one who'd ever qualified as Kurt's life partner before, even in his own mind, no matter of his crush on Finn because Finn had never passed the Kurt's test for Life Mate. The Test had five parts: The Handshake (which both Blaine and Harry had offered), The Prospects (Blaine had been a student at Dalton, a prep school, with straight A's in his report card. He had a future. Harry was a Professor at an University and a damn good one too. He could afford to have a secretary. That meant his pay was more likely at least five times that of Kurt's.), The Family (Blaine had wanted kids too, not as many as Harry but at least three.), The Character (Blaine had courage and determination, humor and creativity. He was still charting Harry.) and The Voice (Blaine could sing. No one could deny that. Kurt didn't know about Harry yet.). But Harry was quickly fulfilling all of Kurt's requirements for Life Mate.

Deciding to distract himself from his thoughts he began to flip through his menu. They were here to discuss his job, not on a date, and he would act professionally even if in the back of his mind he had began mapping out the next three years of getting to know Harry and deepening their work relationship into one of friendship so that Harry would want to keep him in his life after he left his post as Harry's secretary.

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Three years later:

Kurt sighed as he handed Harry the contract of Harry's new secretary.

"What's wrong Kurt?" asked Harry as he signed the contract, releasing Kurt from his.

"Harry, now that I'm no longer working for you, I have to tell you something," answered Kurt simply. "For three years I've tortured myself being close to you and not saying a word. At first it was because I didn't know what it meant but then I got to know you more and realized it would have gone against your morals. So I kept quiet. But I have to say this… Harry, I'm in love with you."

He saw the moment Harry registered what he'd said and closed his eyes, not wanting to see the rejection in the green eyes he'd come to adore. He braced himself for the gentle let down he was sure would follow.

A relieved laugh escaped from his past employer and Kurt peeked at him behind his lids. "Kurt, you have no idea how relieved I am to hear that. Because the moment I saw you walk into that restaurant where we met for the first time, I've wanted nothing more than make you mine. Of course the fact that you were my secretary was put a wrench in things but…" he opened a desk drawer and took out a ring box. "It's not an engagement ring but a promise ring. You don't have to wear it if it clashes with your outfit but I bought it two years ago, this day in mind, that should you ever want it, my heart is yours."

Gingerly Kurt took the box and opened it to find a fairly simple silver bad with a heart shaped diamond, a gold crown above it and surrounded on one side by emeralds and on the other side by a glasz gem Kurt had never seen before. He glanced at Harry with wide eyes. It must have cost a fortune. "Will you put it on me?" he asked and offered his right hand and the ring to Harry.

With a chuckle Harry took the ring and put it on Kurt's right ring finger. "Now Kurt Hummel, will you accept my request and accompany me on a date?"

"Yes Professor Potter, I believe I shall," giggled Kurt as Harry brought his lips to the back of Kurt's hand.


	17. Vacation Friend

A/N: Been a while again, hasn't it? Sorry 'bout that…

This idea has been bugging me since I saw "Graduation" because I can't believe Kurt didn't have a back-up plan and a back-up's back-up. This is my take on what if he'd had.

Inspiration came from the sources: Not the boy next door (Glee cover), Enchanted (Owl City cover) and Superman (the original Taylor Swift).

I'm not really satisfied with the end though… but that's because I'm impatient to get back to writing my new Glee/Thor crossover… (mind you, there's only one at the moment which I think is a pity 'cause can you imagine the hotness? Loki, Thor, Kurt and Blaine all mixed together… *drool* even if Blaine would be only in the sequel since this one happens during season 1) It's going up as soon as I decide if I'm going to post it in chunks (I've got a good 8000 word written) or if it's going to be a long, _long_ one shot. If it's going to be a one shot, then it's going to take at least another two weeks 'cause tomorrow I'm leaving to New York City with my 'rents and siblings… Can't wait :)

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Walking down the hall Kurt took in the familiar sights that seemed so different now. He knew he'd changed in the summer but he couldn't believe that he felt no fear what-so-ever at the sight of the red letterman jackets or the door of the boy's locker room. He even greeted some of the more friendly Cheerios knowing that now that he wasn't coming back to the team they might not even acknowledge him anymore (to his mild surprise they greeted him back, though slightly less enthusiastically than their other acquaintances).

He got to his locker, the same one as the two years before. With a smile he opened it and started decorating it. When he was done, he turned to gaze at the photo now in the place of honor. A smile spread across his face as he took in the handsome features and green eyes of the man in the photo.

He'd met Harry in London where he'd been on vacation with his dad. Last February Burt had won tickets to and from London and Kurt had badgered Burt into staying for a whole month, saying that going to London for less time would be pointless as they wouldn't have enough time to actually experience the culture. Who knew, in a month they might even make friends.

They made their first friend their first evening in Grimmauld Place 11C (it was cheaper to rent a flat for a month than to stay at a hotel, thank you very much) when the seventeen-year-old (almost eighteen, mind you) man ( there was no way Kurt could have called Harry a boy. Burt thought Harry was at least twenty until Harry corrected him) came to welcome them to the neighborhood. When he learned that they were on a vacation he'd offered to tour London with them (this was when Harry admitted (blushing) that he had never actually seen an sights in London and wouldn't know much but that he could ask his friend Hermione if she'd be willing to come with them and tell them about the history of the sights).

Kurt had been disappointed when Harry had mentioned Hermione, certain she was his girlfriend but when he implied it, Harry had laughed and answered that she was like the nagging big sister he'd never had and that her boyfriend Ron was his best friend. Then he said that he'd sparsely dated Ron's younger sister Ginny but that it hadn't worked out and that he was now concentrating on further education (he'd also assured them quickly that he was okay with gays since two of his dorm mates from his old school had been gay).

The next morning Kurt's morning ritual was disturbed by a knock on the door. It had been Harry enquiring about their plans for the day and Kurt had answered that they were going to see the Hyde park that day. Harry had smiled and asked if he could tag along and that they could even make it a picnic. Kurt had readily agreed (Burt had grunted when asked and Kurt took it as "as long as there's food it's okay") but had wondered about the food to which Harry answered that he would take care of it.

After that, Kurt spent more time with Harry than Burt, being introduced to a teenager's London rather than the normal tourist London. He saw the homeless, the busy business men, the overwhelmed single mothers, the annoying tourists, the happy families, the hopeless drunks, the tired university students. Kurt also met Harry's friends Ron and Hermione. Ron was a lot like Finn (and not only in build but it turned out Ron also had the foot-in-mouth complex…) but also much different. For example he'd never even heard of American football and couldn't stand Journey when Kurt tried to introduce it to the redhead. Hermione on the other hand was like a likable, book smart, occasionally scary Rachel (unfortunately with the same kind of fashion sense) who couldn't keep in note to save her life.

And Harry… Kurt had never known anyone like him. The way he mediated Ron and Hermione's frequent spats, the way he included Kurt naturally into their group, the way he was unconsciously good… It was like he was the personification of everything good in the world. He had a little short temper when pestered but he had the patience of a saint in every other way. Kurt didn't understand how someone could grow into such goodness in times like these when greed and corruption were so common. Kurt had asked about Harry's family from Ron and Hermione since it was something Harry avoided talking about and found out that Harry's parents had been murdered when he was one and left at his neglectful relatives. It turned out Harry had grown up good in school, at least according to Hermione, always helping the younger students.

In that month Kurt had grown more than he'd grown in Lima in his whole life. In London he saw dreams fall and come true. He saw lives build and fall apart. He saw riches and poverty and what they did to different people. He saw a few celebrities and he saw your every day Joe. He saw hole-in-the-wall restaurants that offered a small repertoire of foods and posh restaurants that offered food from everywhere in the world (the amount of choices didn't reflect on the food's quality. Kurt had the best pizza ever in a hole-in-the-wall and the worst pasta Bolognese in a posh restaurant… Not that anything was quite as good as the food Harry arranged for their picnic but Kurt didn't tell him that).

When the day that Kurt and Burt were to leave came, Harry saw them to the airport. Burt shook his hand and told him to stay in touch and that if he ever found himself in Ohio then he was to visit them. Harry laughingly agreed. Then Harry had turned to Kurt and Burt had gone to check them in. Why he hadn't done on the internet was a mystery to Kurt but he couldn't be bothered to ask.

Kurt hadn't known what to say so when Harry opened his arms to hug him Kurt had taken the opening it offered and started to babble on and on about how he was going to miss Harry and his friends all the while hugging Harry tightly. Harry had seemed like he wanted to say something but then he'd sighed, smiled and lowered his head to rest on top of Kurt's head, letting the younger boy talk on.

When they finally let go of each other, Harry had grinned and told Kurt he'd see him next summer and left the startled Kurt standing there, blinking after his friend.

Returning to Ohio and Lima had been difficult. Kurt hadn't been the same boy he had been when he left. He now knew what the world (okay, London) had to offer. While New York would always be a place Kurt would want to visit and spend some time in, he now yearned for London much more. England had produced many significant people when it came to theater and music and musical theater (Shakespear, Andrew Lloyd Webber, the Beatles… all legends…) and the West End productions he'd seen had been breath taking. He was sure he could make himself a future there (and there was no way that future featured Harry as his husband…).

It would take him two years to finish high school and then he could leave this backwater town behind him and move to London. He'd just have to hope Harry wouldn't fall in love during that time…

"White boy? Earth to Kurt! Can Kurt hear Mercedes? Do I have to send for a search party in the La-la-land?" Mercedes' voice cut into Kurt's daydream. Surprised, he turned to the smirking girl. "Thinking about New York, huh?"

"Uh hu," Kurt denied and shook his head. "Nope, I'm thinking about London."

"Ah, and how was the Motherland?" asked Mercedes as Kurt closed his locker door and they left for homeroom.

"Let's just say that I've found my calling and that's the foggy London," answered Kurt.

"And this calling has nothing to do with the cutie who's picture you have in your locker," Mercedes teased her best friend. "Because I wouldn't blame you."

"No… well, yes," struggled Kurt with his answer. "In a way… If I hadn't met Harry I wouldn't have gotten to know London like I have. I would have seen what every tourist sees but Harry showed me the real London, the one with the homeless and the successful and the stars going supernova and everything in-between. I've seen the fairies of Kensington garden (he wasn't sure if he'd dreamt it or not because he remembered going to sleep in his bed, Harry taking him to the Kensington garden where they'd visited earlier that day, showing him the fairies and waking up in his bed) and the Crown Jewels and the Tower of London and the freaking London underground… it's where I want to be and I can't wait to return there even if I couldn't see Harry again."

"You've seen the London underground? Harry showed you?" Mercedes almost shouted. "Were you out of your mind? The Underground Kurt! Haven't you seen the movies? Does the Godfather ring a bell?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "I was perfectly safe. Harry had something over them that let us pass there without as much as a glance. Some of the children of course tried to pick-pocket Harry but Harry caught them and talked to them. He takes care of those children Mercedes. Makes sure they know where they can sleep and where they can get food and suitable clothes. Until I met him, I really didn't believe a completely good human could exist. I mean, he may not be the most chivalrous guy around but he did more good in the month I was with him than I've seen anyone do in my entire life. I'm not saying he's without a fault, Gaga knows he has a temper when pestered and he's rather shy too and his childhood was absolute crap and he can't really dress himself but he's undoubtedly good."

Wide eyed, Mercedes looked at her rambling friend. "Hokay, whatever you say white boy," she said as they entered the classroom and took their seats in the middle.

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Standing with Finn and Rachel in the choir room, staring at their college acceptance/rejection letters, Kurt was becoming nervous. This one letter would decide if he'd go to New York or London since he'd already been accepted in London. New York with Finn and Rachel would be his first choice but he wouldn't be too sad of he'd go to London.

"I… I'll go first. I have a good feeling about it," Finn said and took his letter from the stool all three letters were lying on. Kurt saw his hands shake as he opened it and heard the air escape his lungs. He knew it before Finn spoke. "I didn't get in."

Kurt felt his own lungs constrict. Finn didn't get in. Finn would stay in Ohio and go to Ohio State University. Maybe… maybe he could transfer next year, and then all four of them, him, Finn, Rachel and Blaine could live together in New York…

"Would somebody just open theirs, I want to get this over with," Finn said weakly.

Kurt squared his shoulders. "I'll go next," he said quietly and took the rectangular envelope. His heart was beating like never before and his palms were sweaty and his fingers were shaking. The envelope opened easily, like they always do but opening the letter was the hardest thing Kurt had ever done.

_Dear Mr. Hummel_

_We regret to inform you of your rejection to New York Academy of Dramatic Arts. You are fifth on the waiting list so if someone decides to reject their post we will be informing you latest in August…_

"I didn't get in," he choked. Even if he had a completely viable plan B, the rejection still hurt. "I didn't get in," he said louder to make sure Finn and Rachel heard him.

Rachel's eyes had gone wide and she gave him a hug before taking her own letter, probably thinking that if Kurt didn't get in, she didn't either and wanted to get it over with.

Finn, on the other hand, came over to Kurt and put his arm around Kurt's shoulders, giving Kurt something to lean on when the news finally sunk in.

Then Rachel opened her letter. "I got in," she said in an abnormally small voice. She turned around and looked at Kurt and Finn with wide eyes. "Kurt, what are you going to do? You didn't apply anywhere else."

"Yes I did," answered Kurt with a small smile. "Congratulations Rachel."

"Where did you apply?" asked Finn, trying to resign to going to OSU.

Kurt gave them a small, superior smile. "Different schools in London."

"London?" asked Rachel. "London, England?"

"Certainly not London, Kentucky," answered Kurt sarcastically. "I've been accepted to Royal Academy Of Music for both instrumental performance and musical theater and I have three quarters scholarship. And I'll be rooming with a friend."

"Why didn't you tell me? Did you tell Blaine?" asked Rachel. "Did you tell anyone?"

"I told dad and Ms. Pillsbury and I mentioned the possibility to Blaine," Kurt answered honestly. "Why do you think he was so eager for me to get into NYADA? It was because then at least there wouldn't be an awful time difference between us and then I could come home for vacations. Because let me tell you, traveling from New York to Ohio is way cheaper than flying from London to Ohio." Kurt was breathing hard at the end, trying to keep his oxygen levels steady so he wouldn't faint. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go tell Blaine the news and hope to Gaga that he's still willing to be my boyfriend."

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As it turned out, London was too far for Blaine to handle. The break up was mutual but heart breaking. They agreed on a six month no-communication period in which to get over their feelings (or if they didn't, they were to suffer in silence until they were ready to try the long distance thing) after which they could get to know each other again as friends.

When Kurt got to London, Harry was waiting him at Heathrow, ready to take him to Grimmauld Place where Kurt would be staying. ("How are you?" Harry asked and Kurt grinned. "Just fine.") The house had been renovated and wasn't dark and gloomy anymore but more like high-class with velvet curtains and marble fireplaces. Harry didn't really fit into the picture with his jeans and faded jumper but he'd said even if he owned the house, he wasn't the only one deciding things. Kurt didn't really understand what he meant but personally he liked the Victorian look of the house. The portraits looked like they moved sometimes and things seemed to rearrange themselves while Harry and Kurt were away and they never had to clean or cook but for most of them Kurt suspected there was a servant living in the house. When he asked Harry about it, he'd laughed and told him Kret had a room by the kitchen and as much free time as he wanted but he liked cleaning and cooking. Kurt felt like there was more to it than that but didn't push the topic.

The first year of Kurt's education in London flew by and that spring Harry graduated from DMLA in a small ceremony no one was allowed to attend because DML was something like MI6 or CIA from what Kurt understood. Though Kurt still arranged a party for Harry, Ron and Neville to celebrate their graduating. Kurt made a lot of friends in RAoM and even dated a few times but the relationships didn't last, being based on physical attraction only and all… But then again, he was never dateless on a Friday night, even if he rejected most of the offers.

The summer he spent in Lima, spending time with his family and reconnecting with his high school friends who had all come back from school for the holiday. He wasn't surprised when Blaine introduced him to his new boyfriend Chris who shared some… physical capabilities with Kurt but with an entirely different personality. What surprised him was that he was genuinely happy for Blaine and in no way jealous of either Chris for being with Blaine nor of Blaine for having found someone else.

By the end of the summer he was missing Harry and London and his new friends and Teddy (Harry's five-year-old god son) and even Kret whom he'd never even seen (during his first week home, his bedroom had descended into chaos since no one was picking after him…). The phone calls with Harry every other day wasn't enough and when he found himself starting to speak American again, he knew it was time to go home. When he let it slip to his dad, Burt had closed his eyes and sighed. When he had opened his eyes again he told Kurt that he would always have a place with them, even if his home had become a townhouse in the better part of London. Kurt, who had realized he'd called Grimmauld Place home (which it now was,) had smiled gratefully and hugged Burt before going to inform Harry he was coming home a week ahead of time and to change his plane ticket to the first possible flight the following day.

When he steps out of the taxi in front of Grimmaulds Place, Kurt realizes he's missed London's temperate climate (not the rain, mind you), breathing in the slightly cooler air than the one he'd been breathing for the last month and a half. Kurt stood with his hands on his hips, looking at number twelve when the front door flew open as the cabbie was unloading Kurt's luggage from the boot of the car. A small blur dashed from the house and threw itself around Kurt's waist chanting "Kurt Kurt Kurt".

"Hey Teddy!" greeted Kurt and hugged the five-year-old.

"Kurt, Kurt, hey Kurt," Teddy tugged him closer. "Will you marry me?" he asked innocently, amber eyes wide and adoring.

Thrown off his kilter Kurt blinked. "Why would you want to marry me?" he asked, deciding to take it by humor.

"You're the prettiest person I know and you sing really prettily and you're nice and I don't want you to go away ever again," answered Teddy, holding Kurt's hand. "Or if you don't wanna marry me, you can marry Harry. He don't want you to go away either. You could marry Ron too but I think Hermy would be angry with you for taking away her fi-an-cé."

Kurt laughed and ruffled Teddy's light brown hair. "Really now. We wouldn't want Hermione to be angry with me now, would we? And you, while charming, are really too young for me. One day you will meet someone you will want to keep all to yourself, someone who adores you and wants to kiss you and will love you always. When you find that person, marry them."

"Like 'Tori? She said she wanted to kiss me but girls are yucky and they've got germs," Teddy pouted up at Kurt. Then he sighed. "Fine, you don't have to marry me or Harry or Ron. BUT! You have to promise to always come back to us," he demanded hotly.

"Of course I'll always come back to you," smiled Kurt and turned to pay the cabbie who was patiently waiting behind him. ("How are you?" asked Harry as he helped carry Kurt's luggage inside. "Just fine.")

And that was how Kurt was welcomed home, to the news of Ron finally popping the question, and Teddy having a wedding fever (apparently he'd asked Harry, Ginny and Luna to marry him before he'd asked Kurt). That year he saw much more of Harry's friends who were slowly becoming his own too. He continued his string of unsuccessful Friday night dates but he finally noticed the reason for this: he always compared his date to Harry. Harry who saved kittens from trees and led old ladies across the street. Harry who was interested in literature and pranks and had a mysterious job as an 'Auror' (a government agent with very high clearance, as Kurt found out). Harry who owned the beautiful Victorian townhouse and had a wonderful godson. Even so, he wasn't ready to admit being in love, so he continued his fruitless dates until summer.

Summer was spent with his family in Lima again, trying to tell himself he wasn't in love with Harry (he'd even sung "I won't say I'm in love" which really was the perfect anathema for his summer because in the end he decided not to say anything to Harry even if he was in love… which he wasn't! Really!).

The third year Harry spent on longer and longer assignments, causing Kurt to miss him more than he did during summer.

On one such day when missing Harry was all Kurt could think of, he turned to his iPod for distraction. Music was always a good distraction. A couple of songs went by without Kurt really hearing them but when an energetic beat of Taylor Swift blasted from his speakers he got up and started dancing to the beat and sing along.

"Tall, dark and superman  
He puts papers in his briefcase and drives away  
To save the world or go to work  
It's the same thing to me," he sang lowly, imitating the original singer. He was so caught up in it that he didn't hear the front door open and close.

"He's got his mother's eyes, his father's ambition  
I wonder if he knows how much that I miss him  
I hang on every word you say, yay." The drawing room's door opened and the figure stood there watching Kurt perform to an invisible audience.

"And you smile and say, "How are you?"  
I say, "Just fine"  
I always forget to tell you, I love you, I love you… forever

"I watch superman fly away  
You've got busy day today  
Go save the world, I'll be around  
I watch superman fly away  
Come back I'll be with you someday  
I'll be right here on the ground  
When you come back down

"Tall dark and beautiful  
He's complicated, he's irrational  
But I hope someday you'll take me away and save the day, yeah  
Something in his bright green (Taylor Swift sings "deep brown", but the figure at the door only hears Kurt) eyes has me sayin'  
He's not all bad like his reputation  
And I can't hear one single word they say  
And you'll leave, got places to be and I'll be OK  
I always forget to tell you I love you, I loved you from the very first day," Kurt continues singing, heedless to the figure man that plagues his thoughts at the door behind him. The chorus comes again, this time with more emotion, making the man at the door catch their breath.

"And I watch you fly around the world  
And I hope you don't save some other girl  
Don't forget, don't forget about me  
I'm far away but I never let you go  
I'm lovestruck and looking out the window  
Don't forget, don't forget where I'll be  
Right here wishing the flowers were from you  
Wishing the card was from you  
Wishing the call was from you," He looked at the pile of congratulation cards on his performance in the school play, none of which actually were from Harry.

"'Cause I loved you from the very first day

"I watch superman fly away  
You've got a busy day today  
Go save the world, I'll be around…  
Forever and ever here  
I watch superman fly away  
I swear I'll be with you someday  
I'll be right here on the ground  
When you come back down

"La, la, la, la, la, la  
La, la, la, la, la, la

"When you come back down," Kurt ended and stood in the silence that prevailed when he turned the iPod off. "That didn't help… Harry, when are you coming home?" he said quietly and looked out of the window to the rainy street.

Harry coughed behind him, announcing his presence, blushing.

Kurt whirled around and he too blushed when he saw Harry at the door. "H-hi Harry, I didn't hear you there," he tried to smile valiantly.

"I just got home… How are you, Kurt?" he asked with a small smile of his own and eyes darting to the speakers.

Kurt, realizing he'd been caught, simply said: "Just fine."

Harry's smile got brighter and every fear Kurt had ever had of Harry throwing him out when he found out of his feelings melted away inside Kurt.

"I love you too," Harry said and with three steps stood right in front of, caressing Kurt's cheek and drawing him gently into a kiss.

"It's about time Master made his feelings known," a raspy voice said behind Harry when they broke the kiss. "Now that blasted Ministry can't keep Kretcher from doing Kretcher's job of taking care of Master and Master's Chosen. Would Master and Master's Chosen like some tea?"

Curiously Kurt looked over Harry's shoulder, expecting an old, humpbacked man in a butler's uniform but saw a three feet tall, hunched, big eared and large nosed little thing dressed in a pillowcase and an apron.

"Ah, yes, young Master Potter should have made his move nearly two years ago," a cultivated voice said behind Kurt where Kurt knew was only the portrait above the fireplace mantel. "It was been a chore to keep still when Mr. Hummel has been in the room. Though Mr. Hummel has a lovely singing voice I must say, for a muggle of course." Turning around Kurt saw the woman in the portrait speak the last words.

Turning his wide eyes to Harry who looked like he wanted to laugh, he arched an eyebrow.

"Come on, let's go to the kitchen and I'll explain everything," said Harry and held out his hand before turning to Kretcher who Kurt assumed was the invisible "Kret". "Tea would be lovely, thank you Kretcher. We'll take it in the kitchen."


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